Swansea City v Preston North End Match Preview

15 August 2019

The South Wales City of Swansea has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for the Lilywhites down the years, but there’s always another game in football!

Ticket News

Swansea City vs Preston North End Ticket News

15 August 2019

The Liberty Stadium, in particular, has thus far proved fruitless in North End’s attempts to bring some points back to England, therefore the old adage of ‘we’re due one’, certainly applies in this case.

It’s all change for the Swans again after Graham Potter departed to take up the reins at Brighton & Hove Albion, with former England youth coach, but proud Welshman, Steve Cooper took charge over the summer.

And his new charges have started the season positively; a home win over Hull City was followed up with an impressive point and a clean sheet at Derby last weekend, before a comeback win against Northampton Town put them into the second round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

But Alex Neil’s men have also had a good week. Two clean sheets and seven goals registered, with 25 different players all playing their part – they head across the border with confidence, looking to record what would be a long overdue victory against the Jack Army.

For Your Information
Match Details: Swansea City v Preston North End, Liberty Stadium, Saturday 17th August 2019, kick-off 3pm
Competition: EFL Championship (3/46)
PNE colours: All yellow, goalkeeper in all green
Click here to buy tickets for the game (on sale online until 5pm Friday)

Here’s all the coverage accessible on PNE.Com in preview of the game…

Ticket Information: Tickets remain on sale for Saturday's trip to face Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium. Click here for more information.

Match Officials: Saturday’s trip to the Liberty Stadium sees a match official taking charge of a Lilywhites game for the first time in four years. Click here for details of who it is.

We’ve Met Before: We like to find positive games to write about in our look back to previous clashes, but we almost need a time machine to find our last away win at Swansea! Click here for more details of past battles.

How To Follow The Game: If you can’t make the trip to the Liberty Stadium for this weekend’s clash in South Wales, don’t worry, we will have full coverage on PNE.Com and iFollow PNE this weekend. Click here for details of how you can follow the match.

Team News: Manager Alex Neil has plenty of options available to him for this weekend’s trip to face Steve Cooper’s Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium. Click here for details of the options.

Alex Neil Looking To Capitalise On Productive Week: Preston North End manager Alex Neil is looking for his side to build upon a week with two wins, seven goals and back-to-back clean sheets. Click here for the manager’s full interview.

Declan Rudd Looking To Improve Under Gould: Preston North End goalkeeper Declan Rudd is looking to tap into the experience of new goalkeeping coach Jonathan Gould, to help him continually improve. Click here for more from Dec.

Match Reports

Swansea City 3 Preston North End 2

17 August 2019

Swansea City came from behind with a brace from Borja Baston helping them to a 3-2 win against the Lilywhites at the Liberty Stadium.

Joe Rafferty, in for the injured Andrew Hughes, opened the scoring with his first goal for the club with a curling effort into the bottom left hand corner from 25 yards out just 11 minutes in, only for Borja Baston to fire home from close range in the fourth minute of first half stoppage time.

There was a lot of time added on in the opening period after both sides suffered early injuries, Nathan Dyer forced off for the Swans and Louis Moult stretchered off after landing awkwardly in the opposition box.

But half-time substitute George Byers put the Swans back in front, only for Daniel Johnson to level from the spot, but within two minutes the home side had sealed the points when Baston headed home Jake Bidwell’s left-wing cross from the edge of the six-yard box.

Until the late equaliser, the first half was the perfect away performance from the yellows. The opening goal was the first real chance of the game, as the stand-in left back picked up a clearance from the home defence, cut inside to open some space, before firing in a shot that beat Freddie Woodman at his near post and nestled in the corner of the goal, his sixth career strike in his sixth start for PNE.

It was all PNE in terms of first half chances. On 17 minutes, some superb play from Ben Pearson outside the opposition box, saw him dummy a defender and drop a shoulder and then found Billy Bodin, but the Welshman couldn’t get a shot on target from 12 yards out to the right of goal.

Moult was replaced in the 24th minute, Andre Green taking the attacking role, but the chances continued and just before the half hour mark Daniel Johnson volleyed just wide of the right-hand post after good pressure, with Bodin’s pacy ball in from the right only partially cleared.

Bodin again saw a shot saved by Woodman on 39 minutes, it came on the turn, after great spell of possession, Pearson finding the No.39 out on the right-hand side once again.

A corner from skipper Paul Gallagher from the right, Sean Maguire, glancing header across the goal and inches over the bar was another big opportunity for the Lilywhites.

But the home side drew level just before the break from their only shot on target in the first half. The ball was worked out to the right for Connor Roberts to deliver into the box and Baston fired home into the bottom left-hand corner from eight yards out.

The second half started in helter-skelter fashion, going one way and then the other. After a strong start to the half by Steve Cooper’s side, Sean Maguire hit the outside of the left-hand post after a run down the left and a drive into the box.

But on 63 minutes the home side were back in front as a loose ball fell to half-time substitute Byers – on for Kalulu - who fired home into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal from 12 yards out.

Two minutes later and North End were handed a chance to get back level as Connor Roberts fouled Maguire in the penalty area and referee Dean Whitestone pointed straight to the spot. After a delay for the Irishman to get treatment, Daniel Johnson was the man who stepped up and calmly fired low into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal.

However, they were only level for two minutes as City went back in front, as Baston was on the score sheet again with a header from a cross by Bidwell, the striker powering it home from six yards out.

In the last minute of four added on for stoppages Maguire saw a shot blocked for a corner, which Gallagher delivered into the six-yard box and the man who won it got his head on it, but the effort was straight at Woodman, who held on at the second attempt with what was the last action of the game.

Swansea City line-up: Woodman, Rodon, van der Hoorn, Fulton, Grimes (c), Baston (Surridge, 81), Celina, Dyer (Ayew, 22), Kalulu (Byers, 46), Roberts, Bidwell. Subs not used: Nordfeldt, Peterson, Wilmot, Naughton.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher, Rafferty, Pearson, Bauer, Davies, Bodin (Barkhuizen, 81), Gallagher (c), Moult (Green, 26), Johnson (Browne, 81), Maguire. Subs not used: Ripley, Clarke, Stockley, Potts.

Attendance: 15,250 (412 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr D Whitestone

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Swansea City Away

15 August 2019

Tickets remain on sale for Saturday's trip to face Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium, but PNE fans must buy in advance - there will be no sales on the day.

First Team News

Match Officials: Swansea City Away

15 August 2019

North End take on the Swans in a 3pm kick-off and tickets are on sale online at MyPNE.Com, by calling 0344 856 1966 or in person from the ticket office.

We have been given an initial allocation of 1,032 tickets in the North Stand, and upper tier tickets will be sold first. Lower tier tickets will only be sold if the upper tier tickets sell out.

Tickets are priced: Adults £30, seniors (65 and over) and full-time students* £17.50, U18s £15. Please be aware that ID will be required to gain entry and student tickets are only available over the phone or in person from the ticket office.

First Team News

We’ve Met Before: Swansea City Away

15 August 2019

All disabled supporters will pay in as per their age band with prices as above, with a carer ticket provided free of charge if required. Ambulant disabled tickets will be sold in the easy access seats on rows J, B and K. Wheelchair and carer tickets are located on an elevated platform in the upper tier.

Coach travel is also available and is priced at £25 for all, with coaches leaving Deepdale and Leyland at 7.30am. Travel can be booked online at MyPNE.Com, by calling 0344 856 1966 or in person from the ticket office.

Tickets will remain on sale until 5pm on Friday evening, both online and in person, with any collections on the day of the game to be done from the ticket office in the South Stand, opposite the Harvester, from the arrival of the away coaches.

Preston North End

Standings

Swansea City v Preston North End Match Preview

Swansea City vs Preston North End Ticket News

Swansea City 3 Preston North End 2

Ticket Information: Swansea City Away

Match Officials: Swansea City Away

We’ve Met Before: Swansea City Away

Swansea City Ticket Details

Standings

Swansea City vs Preston North End Ticket News

Match Officials: Swansea City Away

We’ve Met Before: Swansea City Away

Ticket News

Swansea City Ticket Details

Get closer to the action this season!

Want to be our new signing?