PNE in Numbers: How do Championship clubs fare in stoppage time?

Tom Clarke celebrates his late goal at Cardiff.

A goal in the dying moments of a game more often than not leads to joy or despair depending on which side you of the fence you sit on on that particular day.

Bookmaker sportingbet have taken a look at how teams currently in the Championship have fared over the last five years when it comes to goals for and against in the latter stages of games.

Injury time analysis shows that North End have a positive goal difference from the 90th minute onwards.

It stands at 0.63 with an average of four goals a season coming in stoppage time.

That hasn’t necessarily translated into points however, with North End sitting seventh from bottom overall in the second tier standings having lost three due to goals conceded at the death.

Burton Albion are top of the pile since 2013/2014 having picked up an impressive 14 points, Sheffield Wednesday the next best on nine with Sheffield United and Fulham close behind on eight.

It’s worth remembering the Brewers’ stats include their time rising through the Football League having won promotion from both League Two and League One in quick succession. Derby sit bottom of the piile having lost 17 points in stoppage time, nine more than the next worst Bolton, who have seen eight slip away.

This season North End have just the one goal in stoppage time, Tom Clarke’s winner in the 1-0 victory at Cardiff back on December 29.

Three have been conceded however.

The most sickening of those for North End fans was Denis Odoi’s 96th-minute equaliser in the 2-2 draw at Fulham back in October, Alex Neil’s side having led 2-0 in the first half at Craven Cottage.

The others came in the 2-1 win at Bristol City in November, Cauley Woodrow’s 94th-minute goal making no difference to the final outcome, the same occuring with Lucas Akins’ goal three minutes into stoppage time of another 2-1 win, at Burton in December.

Overall therefore, North End have gained a solitary point in stoppage time this season.

Away from late goals, there were two milestones for Preston players in the 1-1 draw at Aston Villa on Tuesday night.

Alan Browne hit 150 games for the club and Greg Cunningham 100 on the back of Tom Barkhuizen making it 50 for the Lilywhites against Wolves last Saturday.