Not often has the football cliché ‘ a game of two halves’ been more apparent than when Preston North End completed an incredible comeback to beat Sheffield United 3-2 on Friday night.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side headed into this fixture with Chris Wilder’s Blades, on the back of two defeats. A third successive defeat could have led to the wheels coming off after a very impressive start. However, fans were set for a rollercoaster night at Deepdale.
Worst 45 minutes of the season
Preston actually started the better of the two sides, and were enjoying some possession in the final third without actually testing Michael Cooper. However the game quickly turned and by the 16th minute Sheffield United found themselves two goals up. A lapse in concentration in the Preston defence left a huge gap for Andre Brooks to break through and slide the ball past Daniel Iversen.
The second goal came from North End trying to pass their way out of a very tight situation instead of just doing the obvious. It led to Callum O’Hare jinking his way through and applying the finish.
It would be another half an hour before Preston would start their comeback. Not many players could come out of the first half with much credit. The defence was looking very shaky and when Lewis Gibson went off injured it wasn’t looking good.
We were massively missing Ali McCann to break things up in the middle, and Harrison Armstrong was struggling to find his passes. However the turning point of the game would come right on the stroke of half time.
Something out of nothing
I’ve mentioned before that the likes of Lewis Dobbin and Alfie Devine can create a chance or score a goal from nowhere. They have changed the dynamic of this squad. and even when the game is going against the tide. they can get North End back into it. Together they’ve already scored four goals from outside the area.
Credit to Armstrong on this one as well, as the ball was played into his feet, he expertly turned his man before laying off to Daniel Jebbison. He found Dobbin who shimmied onto his right foot and bent the ball into the corner of the net. A lifeline for Preston. We perhaps lacked players able to score that type of goal last season.
A slice of luck
Whether it’s referees or small margins we often seem to be on the end of bad luck. But right at the start of the second half, Preston got a big helping hand when Japhet Tanganga guided the ball into his own net. Jordan Storey did well to get on the end of Devine’s free-kick and his header bounced off Tanganga and looped over Cooper.
North End had scored two goals within 90 seconds either side of the break. The game had been turned on its head and the momentum was well and truly with the home side. The Alan Kelly Town end could smell blood, and the home fans were in fine voice as Preston attacked again and again.
It was suddenly a completely different team.
Jebbo what’s the score?
There were so many stories running into this game. Paul Heckingbottom and Stuart McCall coming up against their former club who they took up to the top flight in 2023. Tom Cannon returning to Deepdale after a loan spell also in 2023. Ben Whiteman up against a club his made his professional debut for.
But the headlines would go to Daniel Jebbison. The Canadian became the youngest ever player to score on his first Premier League start in 2021 when playing for Sheffield United aged just 17. It’s safe to say his career has stalled since then, but it didn’t stop Bournemouth bringing him back to the Premier League last summer.
Sheffield United fans were obviously not too happy about that and when they were 2-0 up they started singing ‘Jebbo what’s the score?’. Cue the 58th minute when Jebbison would have the last laugh. Andrija Vukcevic has really settled into this team since stepping in for Pol Valentin. When he had the ball on the left flank and stood up Chiedozie Ogbene you knew what was coming.
A quick burst of pace to beat him and another wonderful delivery. Jebbison leaped up and powered a header into the goal. It was right at Cooper but the force gave him no chance. Jebbison did not hold back with the celebration running straight to the fans, he could not hide his delight.
An incredible comeback from The Lilywhites. A huge confidence booster for the team but particularly for Jebbison. There is a player there but he can be very frustrating at times. Of course a run of games would help any player. Personally I’d much rather have Milutn Osmajic starting every week, but Jebbo now has four goal contributions in his last four games so you can’t knock that.
Vukcevic had to leave the field shortly after his assist, hopefully something that doesn’t keep him out of future games. Just before he went down the tunnel, he took a moment to take in the standing ovation he was receiving. Delighted that the Montenegrin has settled in so well at North End. Hands up, I got this one wrong at the start of the season. A great signing.
Armstrong and Thordarson
It wasn’t clicking in the first half for Armstrong, but my word does that boy cover some ground. His energy is incredible. He never seems to tire and covers every blade of grass. Not afraid to get stuck into a tackle and his control of the ball is brilliant. 18-years-old, the Everton player has a great future ahead of him. It would be good if we could see him in a more advanced area at times so he could have a few shots on goal.
Thordarson has had to be very patient this season. The increased competition in midfield has led to the Iceland international and Mads Frokjaer having to settle for a place on the bench, and they haven’t even had too many appearances from there. Stefan played 39 league games last season, but has only featured in the league for 179 minutes this campaign.
On Friday Thor was trusted to help North End see out the game. Coming on for Devine with 15 minutes to go, he was able to carry Preston up the pitch a few times. He also very unselfishly put the ball on a plate for Michael Smith when he could have gone for goal himself. I’m still not sure how Smith managed to miss.
It was a bold move from Heckingbottom, as Devine and Dobbin who also went off at the same point can take care of the ball for us in tight situations which is what you want at that stage of the game. But Thordarson had a good cameo, reminding us again of the depth in this area.