Unbeaten at all levels from the first team down to the youth team in the opening five-and-a-half weeks of the season, Preston North End are going along nicely as they head into one of the greater unknowns of their season on Tuesday evening, travelling to face newly promoted Scunthorpe United.
An altogether different PNE lost home and away in the Championship to 'The Iron' two seasons ago, but while the task in hand isn't necessarily looking any easier with our hosts having won 4-0 at Crystal Palace over the weekend, this is an altogether better equipped Lilywhites outfit that makes the trip to North Lincolnshire, hoping to continue collating points in bundles of three...
Scunthorpe United v Preston North End
Coca-Cola Championship
Tuesday 15th September 2009, kick-off 7.45pm
Glanford Park
Gaffer's Team News
"As everyone knows, I've made a lot more changes to the line-up this season than I had done in the previous season and a half. I looked at it over the summer and felt that because of the demand of the Championship, and that we had the squad to do it, it was best to make full use of the squad.
"You set yourself up a little bit when you do that, if you change a winning team and it loses. So far we've managed to get away with that, and the other benefit is that everybody in the squad knows that they've got a real chance of playing, and if they do get the chance to play, they have to play well.
"I would think that Paul Parry will be out of this game. He has got a bit of a hamstring tear, and we can't really assess that until the day of the game. The amount of bleeding it would have done over the weekend would have made it an inaccurate scan to do it any sooner.
"There haven't been any phone calls or enquiries from Middlesbrough about Sean St. Ledger since the weekend and I expect him to be available for selection for us."
The Opposition
Winners by four clear and unreplied goals at Selhurst Park on Saturday, Nigel Adkins' side were by far the most eye-catching performers of the weekend in the Coca-Cola Championship.
Their timing was impeccable, having only won one league fixture previously and been on the end of two 4-0 thumpings of their own against Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday, in spite of promising progress in the Carling Cup which is expected to continue into round four having drawn Port Vale next up.
Four different scorers found their way onto the scoresheet at the weekend, so goals can potentially come from a far wider spectrum of players than simply last season's goal machine Gary Hooper. Indeed, eight players have already found the net in the eight games played in all competitions so far.
The hosts go into this game sitting in 18th place, having jumped two positions at the weekend and close a gap to join a very congested pack between ninth and 18th, just three points separating that mass at this early stage.
Manager's View
"Jonathan has got the ability to do what he did week in, week out for us. He led the line on his own, did what was required for the team and played very well for us.
"Hopefully he can keep it up because he was certainly an asset for us at Palace."
Nigel Adkins tells the official Scunthorpe United website that Saturday's star man, Jonathan Forte, can be a big asset for his side.
Chairman's View
"After we played QPR, they told us Hooper was a player that they had admired and asked me if he would be for sale. I told them the answer was 'no'.
"If that constitutes a bid for him, then I suppose yes they have made one. But I have had no further conversation with anyone from QPR since then."
Steve Wharton tells the Scunthorpe Telegraph that last season's top scorer Gary Hooper is staying exactly where he is.
Head-To-Head
PNE's All Time Record v Scunthorpe: W12, D3, L11
PNE's All Time League Record v Scunthorpe: W9, D3, L10
Last Meeting
Preston North End 1 Scunthorpe United 0
Whaley 47
FA Cup Third Round
Saturday 5th January 2008
Deepdale
PNEBetting.com Odds
Scunthorpe 9/4 - Draw 9/4 - PNE 6/4
All odds are courtesy of pnebetting.com - PNE's official online bookmaker
PNEBetting.com's Selected Bet
PNE come from behind to win 2-1 after Gary Hooper opens the scoring - 80/1
All odds are courtesy of pnebetting.com - PNE's official online bookmaker
PNE Player
Login to PNE Player or tune in to 106.5FM to hear coverage on Central Radio between 7pm and 10pm. Ged Mills and Bradders will anchor precedings from the studio while Matt Hardman, Steve Cowell and a living legend from PNE's past - in as co-commentator for the first time - will take up the seats in the press box at Glanford Park. Tune into the whole broadcast for a full match preview, exclusive interviews, live match commentary, and the thoughts of our team for half-time and full-time analysis.
Any Final Thoughts..?
- PNE will play in their home strip at Glanford Park.
