Middlesbrough 4-0 Preston North End: Ten-man PNE thrashed as former captain on score sheet

Preston North End had an afternoon to forget as they were comprehensively beaten 4-0 by high-flying Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Saturday.

It is North End’s fourth consecutive defeat - the last three of those coming in the league - and not a single goal has been scored in nearly 400 minutes of football. They remain sixth after Derby County failed to win last night but they would be lucky to remain in the playoff spots come the end of the day. Six teams are three points or less behind them prior to the 3pm kick-offs.

Former PNE skipper and modern-day club legend Alan Browne, who racked up 414 appearances for North End, put Middlesbrough ahead nine minutes in. Tommy Conway made it two 28 minutes in, before Morgan Whittaker sent his side into the break three to the good with ease.

Jordan Storey was sent off for PNE four minutes into the second half before Conway added his second.

PNE put early pressure on the hosts from a series of corners. Skipper Ben Whiteman’s first delivery of the afternoon was short and found Alfie Devine who fired into a sea of red shirts and after one deflected the ball behind for another corner, Daniel Jebbison hit a close-range effort which was saved by Sol Brynn and then frantically scrambled away by Boro.

From then, however, momentum swung in the home side’s favour. Middlesbrough took the lead on nine minutes when Matt Targett aimed a long ball into the box which found Browne in acres of space after he surged past Jamal Lewis. He took a touch and finished powerfully to the left of ‘keeper Jack Walton. Browne opted not to celebrate as his teammates wheeled away to join him.

The Irish midfielder had another opportunity midway through the half. He got the ball out of his feet after a Luke Ayling ball from the right but his low drive from within 12 yards was scuffed.

Boro doubled their lead on 28 minute as Ayling launched a terrific ball down the right which completely bypassed the midfield. Conway ran onto it and struck an effort through the legs of the onrushing Walton and into the far corner of the net.

Aidan Morris saw a 35-yard punt deflect behind for a corner five minutes before the break, from which Ayling tried to back-heel the ball into the net, but Walton held.

Just a couple of minutes later though, Boro extended their lead further thanks to Morgan Whittaker, who pounced on former Plymouth teammate Lewis Gibson’s hesitancy after Walton had rolled the ball out to the defender. Whittaker easily dispossessed Gibson before rifling the ball home.

Four minutes into the second half, North End were down to ten as Storey was judged to have recklessly brought down Conway, who was through on goal and the last man. Whiteman and Gibson were two of the most vocal in protesting his innocence but Andy Madley sent Storey down the tunnel.

Conway continued to run the remaining PNE back line ragged as the half continued but his second and Boro’s fourth of the afternoon, much like the others, was so preventable. Leo Castledine’s free kick was pushed out by a diving Walton but straight into the the number nine’s path, leaving him with the simplest of finishes into an empty net.

Walton got down low and saved well from a bobbling Alex Gilbert effort on 72 minutes, after which PNE had a solid spell of possession yet it amounted to very little. They had four shots during the entirety of the game and all of them came in the opening two minutes and lacked a real attacking threat as the game reached its end.

PNE starting XI: Walton; Offiah, Storey, Gibson, Valentin, Whiteman (c, Thompson 58’), McCann, Lewis (Vukcevic 76’), Devine (Frokjaer 58’), Dobbin (Small 58’), Jebbison (Smith 76’). PNE unused subs: Cornell, Lindsay, Nelson, Mawene.