Queens Park Rangers Match Preview

20 October 2020

Preston North End make their second trip to the capital this season as they head down to face Mark Warburton’s Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday evening.

They will be looking for a similar result to their last trip to London – when they defeated Brentford – as they play at the Kiyan Prince Community Stadium, a game you can watch live on iFollow with Guy Clarke and Paul Sparrow.

At the weekend, our midweek hosts took a good point from a trip to face AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court, their third draw in a row, making their points total six for the season so far.

The two sides last met in the last game before lockdown, back in March, when the Hoops took the points at Deepdale – the last time either side played in front of a significant crowd.

Match Information
Competition: EFL Sky Bet Championship (6/46)
Date: Wednesday 21st October, kick-off 7.45pm
Venue: Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium
Kit: 2020/21 third ‘green’ kit – click here to buy it now!
Head To Head: PNE wins – 17; Draws – 16; Queens Park Rangers - 12

Team News
Manager Alex Neil must check on midfielder Ben Pearson, who hobbled through the closing stages of Sunday’s game with Cardiff and was being scanned before the trip to the capital.

Darnell Fisher and Louis Moult are the only other players who will definitely be absent from the game against Mark Warburton’s R’s at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

For the hosts, Lyndon Dykes should return, having been rested for the weekend’s game at Bournemouth due to his extensive games programme during the international break with Scotland.

Match Officials
Premier League referee Kevin Friend takes charge of Wednesday night’s fixture, having so far this season visited Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Liverpool.

Last season he refereed PNE twice, the 1-1 home game with Leeds and the away game at West Bromwich Albion. His last trip to PR1 before the Leeds game was in December 2016, when he oversaw North End’s 3-2 home win over Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers, in front of the Sky TV cameras, when Daniel Johnson’s brace was key to the win.

Prior to that he was no stranger to east-west Lancashire derby matches – as the select group referee took charge of both of the 2015/16 season’s North End-Burnley games, at both Turf Moor and Deepdale.

He was also the official when Graham Alexander had a fairy tale ending to his career with his last-minute free kick against Charlton Athletic on the last day of the 2011/12 season.

This will be his 15th game refereeing North End in his 18th season on the professional lists, his first being way back in April 2006; a 2-0 home win over Wolves. This season he has refereed three games thus far, issuing 11 cautions and one red card. He will be assisted by Simon Beck and Edward Smart, whilst experienced official Craig Hicks will be the fourth official.

Match Coverage
North End fans can watch Wednesday’s game live on iFollow PNE, with purchases of a £10 match pass available now.

Guy Clarke and former North End defender Paul Sparrow are on commentary duties, with replays, graphics and coverage from the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium from 7.30pm on Wednesday evening.

Click here now to sign up for a match pass

Linked Stories
Alex Neil On Rangers Clash: Manager Alex Neil spoke about Queens Park Rangers’ threats ahead of PNE’s trip to Shepherd’s Bush on Wednesday evening. Click here for the full interview.

A Match To Remember: Back in 2006, North End were successful on an early season trip to Loftus Road, picking up the win against Queens Park Rangers to record their first Championship victory of the season. Click here for the details.

Scott Sinclair Hoping To Continue Away Form: Preston North End forward Scott Sinclair is hopeful that his side can continue their positive start away from home on Wednesday evening as the Lilywhites travel to Queens Park Rangers. Click here for Scott’s thoughts.

A Foot In Both Camps: Alex Baptiste will be tuning in to watch two of his recent former sides when Preston North End travel to Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday evening. Click here to see what he had to say.

Match Reports

Queens Park Rangers 0 Preston North End 2

21 October 2020

A penalty in either half gave North End a deserved win at Queens Park Rangers, after another excellent performance on the road, making it back-to-back away wins.

Daniel Johnson made it 1-0 mid-way through the first half after a foul by Lee Wallace on Scott Sinclair and on the hour mark, Sinclair himself scored from 12 yards after Emil Riis had been again fouled by Wallace.

Right from the off at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, the tempo was at a frenetic pace, North End’s midfield driving them forward, with an energetic performance from full debutant Riis.

They started brightly and from a very early corner from Ryan Ledson, skipper Alan Browne mishit an effort that landed to Andrew Hughes, who spun and shot just wide of the left-hand upright.

The hosts' best chance of the opening period came seven minutes in when Declan Rudd came out to collect the ball at the feet of Bright Osayi-Samuel, who had beaten the offside line to get in behind the centre half pairing of Jordan Storey and Patrick Bauer - together in the absence of the injured Ben Davies.

The greens went ahead at the half’s mid-point when Riis expertly laid the ball off for Scott Sinclair, who danced past three tackles, before being brought down by Lee Wallace. Initially, referee Kevin Friend gave a free-kick, but assistant Simon Beck gave a penalty.

Johnson stepped up and sent Seny Dieng the wrong way and placed the ball into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 1-0.

And Johnson might have been given a chance to make it two with another penalty on 31 minutes, but the officials opted not to award a second penalty after Rob Dickie had pulled back Riis, following a superb header down by Brad Potts to find the Dane.

The two involved in that penalty incident again combined on 38 minutes as Riis flicked on Rudd’s long ball and Potts hit a first-time volley, but it was smothered by Dieng, who then recovered to grab the ball at the second attempt.

With four minutes of the second half on the clock, Riis had a chance for his first PNE goal, as Ledson took a quick free-kick down the left to send Browne into space, and he checked back and delivered a perfect cross between the two centre halves, with Riis finding space but unable to divert his effort on target from ten yards out.

A second penalty was finally awarded on 59 minutes. This time, Riis was again brought down, and Lee Wallace again was the man bringing down the Dane, as he harassed the R’s back four.

This time, Daniel Johnson left it for Sinclair and he stepped up and fired the ball into the bottom right-hand corner, sending Dieng the wrong way, for his fourth goal of the season, doubling the advantage.

The home side had a gilt-edged chance to get back into the game in the first minute of stoppage time as Albert Adomah got in behind the North End defence and beat Rudd with his low shot, but the ball came off the outside of the right-hand post to preserve the 2-0 scoreline and give Declan Rudd his 50th clean sheet for the club as they took the points.

QPR line-up: Dieng, Wallace, Dickie, Barbet, Bonne, Chair (Willock, 71), Osayi-Samuel, Ball (Adomah, 57), Cameron (c), Carroll, Kakay. Subs not used: Kane, Masterson, Hamalainen, Bettache, Kelly.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Rafferty, Hughes, Ledson, Bauer, Storey, Sinclair (Stockley, 90), Browne (c), Riis (Maguire, 84), Johnson (Barkhuizen, 73), Potts. Subs not used: Ripley, Harrop, Gallagher, Huntington.

Referee: Mr K Friend

Standings

Get closer to the action this season!

Want to be our new signing?