Match Preview: Coventry City (A)

24 February 2022

Preston North End will go in search of a third successive away victory when they face Coventry City on Saturday afternoon.

Match Information
Venue: Coventry Building Society Arena
Date: Saturday 26th February, 3pm kick-off
Competition: EFL Sky Bet Championship (Matchday 35/46)
Kit: Home kit – available to order here!

Ticket Information

Tickets for this fixture will remain on sale from www.mypne.com until 1pm on Friday, while sales will continue in person and over the phone from the Deepdale ticket office until 4pm.

Cash-only sales will then be made on the day of the game from the away turnstiles in Coventry, where supporters can also collect pre-paid tickets.

Find full ticket details here.

Match Coverage

Supporters in the UK and Ireland can listen to the game live on iFollow PNE with a £2.50 match pass or £4.49 monthly pass, with live commentary coming from Guy Clarke and Brett Ormerod.

The match will be available to watch live overseas with a £10 match pass, which you can subscribe to here.

There will also be the usual coverage across our social media channels as well as right here on PNE.Com.

PNE Team News

After being forced off through injury on Tuesday night, defender Patrick Bauer will be assessed ahead of the weekend.

Josh Murphy is getting closer to a return to action and could be involved against Coventry City, but he will also be assessed before Saturday.

Greg Cunningham, Sean Maguire and Tom Barkhuizen will all miss out once again through injury.

The Opposition

After finishing 16th in their first season back in the Championship for just short of a decade, Coventry City have pushed on this term, currently sat just three points outside of the top six.

Boasting one of the division’s best home records this term, they’ve made the most of a permanent return to their stadium, now known as the Coventry Building Society Arena, having spent the last two seasons at St Andrew’s.

With Mark Robins into the sixth year of his current spell in charge, he’s targeting a third promotion as the Sky Blues’ boss.

Key Stats

The Sky Blues have secured last-gasp victories in their last two Championship games, scoring in the 90th and 89th minute in wins over Barnsley and Bristol City respectively.

Scoring late has been a common theme for Coventry City so far this term, having netted 13 goals between the 76th and 90th minute this campaign – the joint-most in the division during that period.

PNE have enjoyed their recent fixtures against the Sky Blues, having won each of the last five, with just one goal conceded in those games.

Our Last Meeting

In the reverse fixture earlier this season, PNE came from behind at Deepdale to take all three points against fourth-placed Coventry City.

Tyler Walker had given the visitors the lead just before half-time, but after Patrick Bauer had drawn level, Emil Riis slammed home to seal victory for his side.

Man In The Middle

Experienced EFL official Keith Stroud will referee this fixture, what will be his third PNE game of the season.

The previous two have seen North End come out on top, at home to Barnsley in Ryan Lowe’s first game in charge and the 2-0 away victory against West Brom.

Stroud has taken charge of 24 matches so far this season, showing 103 yellow cards and three red cards.

Pre-Match Interviews

Gaffer Appreciates
Support 'Immensely' Hughesy Looking Forward
To Another Away Day

Match Reports

Match Report: Coventry City 1 PNE 1

26 February 2022

Preston North End were pegged back in the eighth minute of stoppage time as Coventry City's Fabio Tavares cancelled out Daniel Johnson's 89th-minute penalty.

Shortly after Liam Lindsay had been shown a red card for PNE in the 84th minute, Emil Riis earned a spot-kick for his side - which saw Fankaty Dabo sent off for the hosts - and Johnson slotted home from the spot.

North End wouldn't take the three points home with them, though, with Tavares drawing level with the last kick of the game.

It was the hosts who started on the front foot, with Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer having early efforts, but it was PNE who had the first meaningful shot on target.

That came 28 minutes into the game, when Cameron Archer held the ball up well to start a counter, which ended with his strike partner Ched Evans, whose effort looking for the far corner was tipped wide by goalkeeper Simon Moore.

PNE’s No.9 was again on the end of another counter attack 12 minutes later, this time being fed by Alan Browne, but once again the ‘keeper was equal to his effort, getting a strong right hand to the ball to send it over the bar.

With the sides going into the break goalless, Evans was again involved a few minutes into the second half as he played Archer through to his left, and after his shot was deflected into the air, Evans headed goalwards and Moore just about scrambled backwards to claw the ball off the goalline.

Coventry’s shot-stopper was called into action a few moments later, with Daniel Johnson taking aim from 20 yards, and Moore tipped wide of goal.

North End had done very well to limit their hosts to very little, but just before the hour mark it looked as though Martyn Waghorn had broken through on goal, only for Sepp van den Berg to make a fantastic recovery run to nick the ball back.

At the other end, Lindsay came close as he headed wide from Whiteman’s corner, before Archer later saw a powerful 20-yard effort saved.

Lindsay was shown a second yellow card on 84 minutes for a challenge by the touchline on Gyokeres, but just moments later North End went down the other end and earned a penalty, with Johnson finding Riis to go through on goal, only to be brought down by Fankaty Dabo, who was also given his marching orders.

Johnson stepped up to take the resulting set piece and slotted home to give his side a late lead.

It wasn't to be enough, though, as substitute Tavares found the top corner to draw the hosts level with what proved to be the last kick of the game.

Coventry City line-up: Moore; Hyam, Rose, Clarke-Salter; Kane (Dabo, 64), Hamer, Sheaf, O’Hare (Tavares, 90+3), Maatsen; Waghorn (Bidwell, 63), Gyokeres. Subs not used: Wilson, McFadzean, Allen, Shipley.

PNE line-up: Iversen; van den Berg, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, Whiteman, Browne, Johnson, Earl (Riis, 73); Evans (Ledson, 90+6), Archer (Diaby, 90). Subs not used: Ripley, McCann, Rafferty, Sinclair.

Attendance: 19,743 (2,594 PNE fans).

Referee: Mr K Stroud.

Ticket News

Coventry City Tickets On Sale

24 February 2022

Our final allocation of tickets remain on sale for the away game against Coventry City on Saturday 26th February.

PNE head to the Coventry Building Society Arena for a 3pm kick-off and, with around 2,500 tickets sold as of Friday morning, there are around 400 remaining in our final allocation of just under 3,000.

Tickets will remain on sale online for www.mypne.com until 1pm on Friday, while sales will continue in person and over the phone from the ticket office until 4pm on Friday.

Coventry will be selling to our supporters on the day of the game from away turnstile one to five, but please note that all sales will be cash-only. Fans looking to collect tickets can also do so from the away turnstiles.

Ticket prices:

Adults £25
Concessions* £20
U18s £15

*60-year-olds and over, 18 to 21-year-olds, NUS card holders and members of the Armed Forces.

Ten pairs of tickets are available for those supporters in a wheelchair, with prices according to the relevant age band, and a carer ticket will be provided free of charge.

Ambulant disabled supporter tickets are included in the main allocation, priced as above, and a complimentary carer ticket will be provided if required.

Please note, due to crowd control, our supporters may be asked to stay behind for a short period following the final whistle.

Coach travel is available from both Deepdale and Leyland, with a departure time of 11am, and tickets are priced at £15 per person.

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