Written by billythekid
The Cherries did it yet again in coming from behind to snatch all 3 points in the last few minutes of normal time. In their previous game away at Blackpool the winner came well into extra time. Our team have now won their last four games, two home, two away, with three of those with below-par performances. At this stage of the season to grind out wins has come at the right time, as AFCB started off January in the Championship with some poor results, losing their first two games, first away at Luton and then at Dean Court against Hull City. Our next game is away up in Lancashire to the Deepdale Stadium to play Preston at 3 pm on Saturday.
This will be another hard away game against a side that have beaten us twice over the last two seasons at Dean Court in the Championship, this season back in November when Frankie McAvoy was manager. After some poor results, Preston decided to part company with McAvoy and approached League 1 side, Plymouth Argyle, for their manager Ryan Lowe, Lowe resigned at Argyle to take up the post. When Lowe took over Preston they were after 21 games in 18th place in the table on 25 points. Since taking charge he has steadied the ship and in his 14 games in charge Preston have won 5, drawn 7 and lost 2, they are in 12th position, with 47 points.
At Deepdale, they have drawn more home games (9) than any side in the Championship. Since our defeat at Dean Court, at home Preston have beaten Barnsley 2-1, drawn 1-1 with Fulham and Birmingham City, 2-2 with Sheffield United and Bristol City, 0-0 with both Huddersfield Town and in their last home game Nottingham Forest. They have lost two games, 1-2 against Cardiff City and 2-3 against Reading.
In February Preston at home drew two games (see above) with teams in the top six and lost one against a team lower in the table. They had better results away from home, with two wins and two draws, the last 1-1 at Coventry.
The last time AFCB visited Deepdale was in March 2021, the game ended in a 1-1 draw. The Cherries were the first on the scoresheet with a 37th-minute goal from Arnaut Danjuma, that score remained at half-time. In the second half, Preston equalised in the 71st minute through Daniel Johnson, that was how the game ended with no further goals.
In all our league games away against Preston, AFCB have W 5, D 4. L 5.
In all competitions, AFCB have W 13, D 7, L 12.
Preston v AFCB
Preston Win
Draw
AFCB Win
Preston Team News
Central Defender Liam Lindsay will miss the game through suspension. They have a number of players out injured, including another centre back in Patrick Bauer a doubt after being injured against Nottingham Forest. Tom Barkhuizen, Sean Maguire, Greg Cunningham, Izzy Brown and Declan Rudd. They could have Josh Murphy back in the squad after a few months out with injury.
In January they signed defender Bambo Diaby from Barnsley. They also brought in on loan Cameron Archer from Aston Villa.
Preston Player To Watch
Their leading scorer is Emil Ris Jakobsen with 12 league goals and 3 assists but hasn’t found the net in his last seven games. In centre midfield is strong all-round player Ben Whiteman, scored against us at home in November and has 4 goals and 4 assists so far this season. But the player who has made a difference is 20-year-old forward Cameron Archer signed on loan from Aston Villa in January and has found the net 4 times already.
AFCB Team News
Scott Parker will be hoping that both Ryan Christie and Jaidon Anthony will be available for this game after injury and Nat Phillips has recovered from illness. Jefferson Lerma serves his third game suspension.
AFCB Player To Watch
Todd Cantwell seems to be getting better with every game and especially in the second half against Stoke City, he is becoming a key player in our midfield. Last season for Norwich City he scored 6 goals and had 6 assists, hopefully soon he will be on AFCB’s score and assist list.
The Referee
Matt Donohue is the man in charge.
He was the referee for our home game with Hull City in January.
Your say…
Gloria Hunter wrote…
They will try and stifle us for sure and then hit us on the break and with long-range shots. We seem vulnerable from long-range shots this season. Not because of Travers because he’s kept us in games. More because we’re not closing players down fast enough. Hopefully, we can cause them some problems and take some long-range shots ourselves. – Join the conversation, click here.
