Cardiff City v Preston North End Match Preview

19 December 2019

For the third time in five games, we feature in front of the Sky Sports cameras, as we play our final game before Christmas in the Welsh capital.

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Cardiff City Away

19 December 2019

Alex Neil’s men make the long trip to South Wales to face Cardiff City, now manager by Neil Harris – who will be looking to mastermind his second win over PNE this season, having been the boss at Millwall for their opening day 1-0 success.

The Lilywhites will be looking to continue their recent run, however, looking to build on back-to-back home wins last week, which lifted them back into third in the table; thus meaning they know that three points at the Cardiff City Stadium will guarantee they go into the festive period on the heels of West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United.

A Christmas visit to face the Bluebirds will bring good memories for skipper Tom Clarke, who scored a late winner against the weekend’s opponents on our last trip there and there is more on that in the links below with our We’ve Met Before feature and our interview with the captain.

The game also marks the mid-point of the season. After the match is played, we will have faced every team in the division and whatever the outcome, the team have given their all to give themselves a platform to build on for the second half of the campaign – let’s hope with over 500 setting off early to make the trip down the M4, it is another three points to start Christmas early!

For Your Information
Match Details: Cardiff City v Preston North End, Cardiff City Stadium, Saturday 21st December 2019, kick-off 12.30pm
Competition: EFL Championship (23/46)
PNE colours: Home kit, green goalkeeper
Click here to buy a ticket

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

Ticket Information: Despite the early start and the long round-trip on the pre-Christmas weekend, nearly 500 fans will make the trip to the Cardiff City Stadium this Saturday. Click here for more information.

Match Officials: For our final game before Christmas, we will be officiated by a match official we have not seen since the opening home game of the season. Click here for details of who it is.

We’ve Met Before: Preston North End travel to face Cardiff City on their own patch for the 47th time in their history at the weekend. Click here for more details of past battles.

How To Follow The Game: If you can’t make the trip to the Cardiff City Stadium for Saturday lunchtime’s game, don’t worry, we will have full coverage on PNE.Com. Click here for details of how you can follow the match.

Team News: Preston North End manager must make a change at right back for the second game in a row after Darnell Fisher picked up his tenth booking of the season at home to Luton Town last weekend. Click here for details of the options.

Alex Neil Sees Neil Harris’ Imprint On Bluebirds: Preston North End manager Alex Neil can already see the influence that new manager Neil Harris has had on Cardiff City since his appointment as manager. Click here for the manager’s full interview.

Tom Clarke Ready If Called Upon: Preston North End captain Tom Clarke has made a timely return to the squad, with a shortage of right backs for this weekend’s trip to Wales. Click here for more from the captain.

Match Reports

Cardiff City 0 Preston North End 0

21 December 2019

The Lilywhites had to settle for a point in the final game before Christmas after a goalless draw against Neil Harris’ Cardiff City.

Alex Neil’s side had the best of the chances in the Principality, with Sean Maguire going close three times in the opening half and Neil Etheridge making fine saves from Welshman Billy Bodin and Ben Pearson, but the game remained goalless, without Declan Rudd having to make a save.

Tom Clarke skippered the side, playing at right back and Tom Barkhuizen came in, as part of two changes to the side that had made it back-to-back home wins the previous weekend and it was visitors who started and remained on the front throughout the opening period.

The first chance came just seven minutes in as Bodin cut inside onto his left foot and fired a shot that looped just onto roof of net from 25 yards out.

A great chance fell on 12 minutes and Alan Browne controlled down the right with his chest and then drove to the right corner of the box and threaded the ball through to Sean Maguire, whose first time shot found the side-netting from a narrow angle.

Just after the quarter hour mark Paul Gallagher’s cross-field ball to Bodin on the right was pin-point from 50 yards; the No.39 ran and crossed deep and Maguire again rose highest at the back post, but once again found the side-netting.

Just after the mid-point of the first half Bodin was this time denied by Neil Etheridge after a through ball from the right by Browne to Maguire in the box, who then fed the Welsh winger.

Cardiff City’s only chance in the first half came on 28 minutes as they broke through Leandro Bacuna, but he was held up by Paul Huntington, only for the ball to fall for Lee Tomlin, 25 yards out, who dragged his shot just wide of the left-hand post.

Right on half-time Sky Sports’ man of the match Ben Pearson played a superb cross-field ball, to release Maguire down the right. He cut into the penalty area and beat Etheridge, but slid his effort past the outside of the left-hand post.

In the final seconds of the half, Tomlin was lucky to stay on the pitch, only getting a yellow for a high reckless tackle on Gallagher.

The second half was very similar to the first, with PNE dominating the chances. Firstly a Gallagher curler from 20 yards was inches wide of the right-hand post after he started a move in midfield that saw Barkhuizen and Browne link up to set up the No.12.

With 20 minutes left Browne was gifted a great opportunity by Curtis Nelson’s pass across the defence, but he seemed to be caught in two minds, whether to pass or shoot and eventually fired straight at Etheridge.

It was still open in the closing stages and Pearson ran 50 yards on the drive, before firing a hard shot across from the right corner of the penalty area, forcing Etheridge into a fine save and the game ended goalless.

Cardiff City line-up: Etheridge, Peltier, Flint, Bacuna, Glatzel (Madine, 62), Murphy (Ward, 62), Pack (c), Nelson, Tomlin, Mendez-Laing (Paterson, 84), Richards. Subs not used: Smithies, Vaulks, Whyte, Bamba.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Clarke (c), Hughes, Pearson, Bauer, Huntington, Bodin (Stockley, 86), Gallagher (Potts, 44), Maguire, Browne, Barkhuizen (Nugent, 73). Subs not used: Hudson, Harrop, Storey, Ledson.

Attendance: 22,625 (504 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr J Simpson

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Cardiff City Away

19 December 2019

Despite the early start and the long round-trip on the pre-Christmas weekend, over 500 fans will make the trip to the Cardiff City Stadium this Saturday.

First Team News

Match Officials: Cardiff City Away

19 December 2019

North End face the Bluebirds in a 12.30pm kick-off and tickets remain on general sale.

PNE have been given an allocation of 1,130 tickets and prices are as follows: Adults £17, seniors (aged 60 and over) £14, 16 to 21-year-olds £9 and U16s £1.

Cardiff City do not permit juniors under the age of 12 to attend matches on their own, they must be accompanied by an adult.

There are also 13 pairs of tickets for wheelchair disabled supporters, with prices as follows: Adults £16, seniors (aged 60 and over) £12, 16 to 21-year-olds £9 and U16s £1. The carer ticket is free of charge should one be required.

Ambulant disabled supporter tickets are taken from the main allocation and are charged as per the standard match price with the carer ticket free of charge if required.

Coach travel is also available for this game and is priced at £20 per person. Coaches will depart Deepdale and Leyland at 5am.

Tickets will remain on sale at Deepdale and on the ticket hotline until 4pm on Friday 20th December, with online sales available until 1pm that same day.

First Team News

We’ve Met Before: Cardiff City Away

19 December 2019

Cardiff City have confirmed that sales will be on the day for our supporters on Saturday lunchtime. It will be cash only from the away ticket office at gate 12, which will open at 10am.

The prices will increase to the following: Adults: £19, seniors (aged 60 and over) £15, 16 to 21-year-olds £10 and U16s £1. Any supporters collecting tickets can do so from the away ticket office.

Cardiff City have issued an away fan guide that you can access by clicking here, however, some of the most important information is that: Turnstiles will open 90 minutes before kick-off. Visiting supporters will enter via Gate 12. The dedicated car park for visiting supporters is directly outside Gate 12.

They will serve alcohol in the generously sized concourse and allow visiting fans out into the secure compound at half-time to facilitate a cigarette break. Please note that from the start of this season that Cardiff City Stadium has gone cashless at their catering kiosks in the stadium - this does include the away quadrant.

Preston North End

Standings

Cardiff City v Preston North End Match Preview

Ticket Information: Cardiff City Away

Cardiff City 0 Preston North End 0

Ticket Information: Cardiff City Away

Match Officials: Cardiff City Away

We’ve Met Before: Cardiff City Away

Cardiff City Ticket Details

Standings

Ticket Information: Cardiff City Away

Match Officials: Cardiff City Away

We’ve Met Before: Cardiff City Away

Ticket News

Cardiff City Ticket Details

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