Preston played out a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough this evening, with the unbeaten league run extended to seven games.
Josh Harrop’s opener was quickly cancelled out by a Darnell Fisher own goal, meaning North End had to make do with a point. That’s a little frustrating, but with Preston still sitting fifth, it’s another decent point on the board.
The game itself threw up some interesting stats, and here are ten of the best…
- Tonight’s goal was Josh Harrop’s first away league goal in a Preston shirt. His previous league goals – against Cardiff City, Sunderland and Stoke City – all came at Deepdale.
- Of Preston’s nine shots on goal, just one was on target – and that was Harrop’s goal.
- Only four of those nine efforts came from open play. The other five came from set pieces, again highlighting North End’s lack of fluency in open play.
- Joe Rafferty, Ben Pearson and Ben Davies all completed more than 50 passes. No Middlesbrough players reached more than 45.
- With six headers won, Patrick Bauer was the most dominant player in the air. Dael Fry and Alan Browne were closest with five.
- Bauer was also the best on the pitch for interceptions (3) and clearances (6).
- Daniel Johnson was the only Preston player with more than one key pass. Johnson notched two, with Seani Maguire, Josh Harrop, Ben Pearson and Tom Barkhuizen all registering one each.
- Ben Pearson was the most effective dribbler on the pitch, registering four successful dribbles. Only Paddy McNair completed more than one for Boro.
- Despite being key attackers for Preston, Seani Maguire and Tom Barkhuizen both failed to register even a single shot on goal.
- Maguire was also dispossesses six times, the most on the pitch and three times more than next-worst for Preston, Barkhuizen (2).