Preview: PNE – Town
By Aston
April 25 2008
Town's can make a final push for a play-off spot tomorrow but only 3 points will do against Preston North End at Deepdale.
The homeside look set to be without defenders Sean St Ledger and Billy Jones who are both injured, meaning Neal Trotman and Michael Hart will make home debuts. Striker Chris Brown is a doubt with a back injury.
Preston boss Alan Irvine: "They probably need to win their last two games in order to get in the Play-Offs. They're going to come here desperate to win, and when I saw them the other week against Norwich I thought they were very good.
"They play nice football and we've just done our video work on them looking at the game against Wolves - that game was a draw, and it probably looked like the right result. Both teams had a lot of play, both teams had a lot of chances, and it finished one each with a Tommy Miller free-kick in the last minute of the game.
"I don't expect them to come defending. They're a nice football team, so I expect they will come and play, try and get forward, and we're going to have to make sure that we defend well. I think it will be an open game.
"I've said to the players that we know we're safe, and these three points aren't going to make a significant difference to us in terms of position, but we don't want to finish on a low point, especially in our last game at home. We want to give the fans something to cheer about because it's been a season where we've not given them as much to cheer about as we would like.
"Obviously things have been better since January but we want to finish on a high. We're going to go round afterwards to thank the fans for their support, and we would like to do that with a victory under our belts. It's always a lot nicer to go round doing that with a smile on your face, rather than feeling disheartened because you've not won the game.
"I mentioned when we got to the 54 points that we don't just want the season to peter out, and we want to end it feeling good about ourselves. I think we played well at Plymouth and QPR, and also played well enough to have beaten Barnsley, yet we only came out of it with two points from those games.
"We want to take the good play and make sure that it results in us winning the last two games."
Town will be without David Norris and Richard Naylor but Shefki Kuqi and Velice Sumulikoski are both fit and have been included in Town's squad.
Town manager Jim Magilton: "It comes down to a two game season for us and we do need to win at Preston, if we get the three points there then we will see where that leaves us for the last game of the season.
"It's a crucial weekend for all the clubs involved but games like the one at Preston are what players play football for. We know what's at stake, we know what we have to do.
"We need a performance. We need to present ourselves. Everything is on the line and the players need to cross that white line and perform.
"Preston are a team in form and they will be playing without any fear which can make them dangerous, Neil Mellor is scoring goals for them and it will be a difficult game but it's one that we are ready for.
"The players have been flying in training this week. They know how big the next 90 minutes are."
The results Town need to look out for are Coventry against Wolves and Hull against Crystal Palace.
Match odds:
Town: 17/11
Draw: 12/5
Preston: 9/5
Officials:
Referee: E L Ilderton (Tyne and Wear)
Assistants: D Unsworth and R J Wigglesworth
Fourth Official: C A Brumwell
Got a prediction for the game? Leave it below.
