Preston North End 0-2 Stoke City - Former boss returns to take all three points at Deepdale
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Alex Neil’s Stoke were too good for North End on the day, with two second half goals given them the victory. Will Smallbone opened the scoring for the Potters before Tyrese Campbell made it two, sealing another game without a goal at Deepdale for Ryan Lowe’s side.
PNE boss Lowe made three changes to the side that lost to Bristol City in midweek, two enforced. Liam Lindsay and Daniel Johnson both missed out on the matchday squad due to injury, with Greg Cunningham dropping to the bench. Alan Browne came back in at right wing back, with Jordan Storey available and starting after suspension and Bambo Diaby in for his first start of the season having come on as a striker on Wednesday.
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Hide AdThe first chance of the game came after 11 minutes as Campbell got in behind the North End defence and attempted to chip Freddie Woodman from a tight angle but the effort was smothered.
After 23 minutes Storey volleyed towards goal from a header down into his path but despite claims for a penalty, nothing was given and it was instead behind for a corner.
The home side were having to make do with what they could in the first half an hour, former PNE boss Alex Neil doing a job on Lowe's side both in and out of possession, controlling the game.
Dujon Sterling cut inside after a Potters breakaway after 34 minutes but his effort on his left foot from the corner of the 18 yard box was both high and wide.
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Hide AdPreston had another claim for a penalty on 40 minutes as Browne released Hughes after a good run off the ball from the centre half but as the Welshman tumbled referee Matthew Donuhue was quick to wave play on.
To make it three, PNE were again claiming for a spot kick in first half stoppage time as the ball ricocheted around the area, although it seemed the strongest shout so far for a penalty, it was again ignored.
Eight minutes into the second half the visitors had their first chances of the second period, snapshots from Dwight Gayle and Phil Jagielka not finding their mark.
But just five minutes later, Gayle would help Smallbone find his mark. The Stoke striker went down the left side of the PNE box before delivering a low cross into the centre for Smallbone to slam home with his instep on 58 minutes, sending the away support into raptures.
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Hide AdGayle nearly turned from provider to scorer as Tyrese Campbell's cross from the left picked out Stoke's no.11 who steered his header marginally past the far post after 64 minutes.
Stoke were not to be disappointed for long however as two minutes later they doubled their lead. One long ball forward from a Stoke clearance gave Campbell the chance to show his pace, the fleet-footed forward getting there ahead of Diaby before slotting the ball beyond the defender and Woodman and into the far corner.
The visitors continued to be the side on top as Smallbone won the ball high up the pitch and played it into the path of Liam Delap who had come off the bench for City, he got the better of Storey and squared it to Gayle who couldn't generate enough power as he shovelled his shot at Woodman after 74 minutes.
Tarique Fosu was the next man to be denied just a minute later, his strike deflected twice on the way into the arms of the North End keeper from inside the box.
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Hide AdWith nine minutes to go the Potters kept pushing for a third, this time their captain Lewis Baker stuck from distance but it was beaten away, with Ben Wilmot's poke at goal from a corner a minute later deflected over the bar by a teammate.
North End did what they could to try and find a way back into the game but their desperate attempts to salvage something came to nothing.
There was one positive towards the end of the game as youngster and second year scholar Finlay Cross-Adair came on for his PNe debut.
PNE Starting XI: Woodman, Diaby (Evans, 82'), Storey, Hughes, Browne (Potts, 70'), Whiteman, McCann, Brady (Woodburn, 70'), Fernandez, Maguire (Cross-Adair, 82'), Riis.
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Hide AdPNE subs: Cornell, Cunningham, Ledson.Stoke City Starting XI: Bursik, Sterling, Wilmot, Jagielka, Fox, Baker, Laurent, Smallbone (Clucas, 78'), Fosu, Gayle (Clarke, 86'), Campbell (Delap, 68').
Stoke City subs: Bonham, Flint, Thompson, Wright-Phillips.
Attendance: 17,498 (3,142 away)