PNE Fans’ Panel’s John Roper says Frankie McAvoy has thrown his hat into the ring

North End avoided being sent to Coventry as they took all three points against the Sky Blues at St Andrew’s.
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This was not a game full of quality but it was a game where PNE showed their effort and endeavour to claim a third win in six under Frankie McAVoy and take 11 points from those six games.

The first half was scrappy early on and swung one way and then the other without either side taking a stranglehold on proceedings.

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Coventry started the better but North End came back into it with a good spell in the middle of the half.

Ched Evans is brought down on the edge of the boxChed Evans is brought down on the edge of the box
Ched Evans is brought down on the edge of the box

The second half was similar but I always thought that North End were the more likely to score, even though the home side had plenty of the ball.

The 67th-minute penalty from Alan Browne was enough to win the game for the boys in Green and North End saw out the mini onslaught at the end comfortably enough.

McAvoy made just one change to the side that beat Derby County on Tuesday evening at Deepdale with Sean Maguire coming in to replace Greg Cunningham. North End stuck with the 3-4-1-2 that has served them well recently but it was the Sky Blues who had a purple patch in the first half with a shot over from just a couple of yards out, followed by another shot deflected for a corner.

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Preston fought their way back into the game with Whiteman having a stinging shot saved but Evans failed to follow up. Ledson had a shot well saved and Maguire was just wide with a header after a flick on from Storey.

The second period started pretty much like the first with Coventry having more of the ball but not being able to make any sort of impact on the North End defence.

Eight minutes in and a big penalty shout when Evans was brought down but after thinking about it, the referee played on. Evans then had another long range shot into Wilson’s hands in the Sky Blues’ goal.

With 20 minutes of the second half gone came the deciding moment in the match when Wilson pulled Evans down in the box and skipper Alan Browne coolly slotted home the penalty to give North End the lead and ultimately the three points.

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So the Funtime Frankie Bandwagon rolls on and North End are now looking very mid-tablish as opposed to potential relegation candidates just six games ago.

McAvoy seems to keep things fairly simple for the boys and doesn’t seem to worry too much about the opposition unlike his predecessor.

I thought North End were really on their game in terms of closing Coventry down and our passing was more accurate on the day. What I have seen of Coventry this season, I am sure Mark Robins is destined for greater things in his future. As for Frank McAvoy,

I can only suggest that he carries on doing what he is doing for the last two games and then think about what comes next at the end of the season.

The way things are going he has certainly thrown his hat in the ring with the general level of performance so far.

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