Memory Match: Preston North End's victory at Stoke City in January 2019

Not since Boxing Day 1998 had they won at what was previously called the Britannia Stadium, now rebranded the bet365 Stadium.

It was a game played in rain and a swirling wind which made for difficult conditions. Could PNE do it on a cold Saturday afternoon in January? Of course!

Alan Browne and recent arrival Brad Potts scored the goals to deliver the three points – delighting a large travelling contingent.

North End moved the ball well going forward and defended solidly, the clean sheet a welcome one.

Browne showed fine composure to fire Preston in front of the 20th minute, shifting the ball from one foot to another to shoot home from just inside the box after Darnell Fisher’s effort had been blocked.

Potts wrapped-up victory 10 minutes from time, racing clear on to a Sean Maguire through ball to score.

There was a heart in the month moment for Potts late on though, when his trip on Peter Etebo gave away a penalty.

But North End were saved an anxious finish when Declan Rudd pushed Sam Clucas’s penalty against the bar.

In front of 2,041 of their supporters who had travelled down the M6 to the Potteries, the Lilywhites took the game to their hosts early on.

They pressed high, Browne leading the pressure on Stoke’s back three.

It was the Irishman who gave Preston a 20th minute lead.

Fisher got the ball on the right and cut into the box, his left foot shot blocked by a Stoke defender.

The ball broke Browne’s way just inside the box, he shifted it on to his left foot to sell a dummy to his marker and fired low into the bottom corner. Five minutes later skipper Paul Gallagher making his 250th PNE appearance, slid a free-kick down the right hand side of the box.

Maguire spun off to meet it but from a narrow angle, fired straight into Jack Butland’s gloves.

North End had to soak up some pressure after that to get safely through to half-time but there no real threat to Rudd’s goal.

Eight minutes into the second half, Clucas looked certain to score when a low ball across the Preston box found him at the far post.

But his close-range shot was superbly blocked on the line by Ben Davies.

Browne had a shot from the edge of the box which caught a deflection and looped over the bar for a corner.

Good play by Maguire saw him roll his man down the inside right channel and send over a low cross which a defender just managed to nick away from Browne in front of goal.

Daniel Johnson replaced the limping Gallagher in the 74th minute, the skipper having taken a bang on the knee a few minutes before.

As Stoke piled on the pressure, Andrew Hughes made a fine block to divert Etebo’s shot behind for a corner.

Rudd back-pedalled to tip James McClean’s hooked shot over the bar, before an almighty scramble in the goalmouth saw a PNE defender clear off the line.

North End counter-attacked from that piece of defending to score their second goal in the 80th minute.

Ben Pearson carried the ball up field and found Maguire with a pass, Maguire’s through ball then playing Potts in.

The former Barnsley midfielder showed good strength to hold off his man and get clear before finishing with a low shot past Butland.

In the 90th minute, Potts conceded a penalty, Etebo getting the wrong side of him in the box. Clucas took the penalty but Rudd got enough on in to tip it against the bar.

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