Nugent's return boosts Preston who gain upper hand in mind games
Jason Mellor at Deepdale
Monday May 1, 2006
The Guardian
As a diminutive Scot, Billy Davies claims his main lifetime aim is to reach five feet three, but his Preston North End side clearly have loftier ambitions for him. His quest for added stature is likely to be the only tall order at Deepdale in the next couple of weeks, because the team he has fashioned on modest resources is looking capable of
ensuring he becomes the shortest manager in the Premiership.
What amounted to an end-of-season stroll was played as though lives depended on the outcome, so heaven knows the commitment levels to be scaled when the sides next meet, at Elland Road on Friday in the second of a trilogy of encounters to contest a place in the Premiership.
There is history between the clubs, and with cross-Pennine pride on the line, those expecting a tame affair should have known better. In the past, Preston fans have watched with growing resentment as they have acted as a feeder club for Leeds with four players leaving for West Yorkshire (one of them via West Bromwich Albion).
Only two - David Healy and Sean Gregan - figured in this comprehensive defeat as Kevin Blackwell made eight changes. They included a first start after 13 months out injured for Steve Stone but the visitors failed to score against Preston for a second time this season. They go into the play-offs with one win from 10 games. "I'm not reading a lot into the result," insisted Blackwell. "A rocking Elland Road is a real place to go to and hopefully we can get a positive result. I'm pleased to get this out of the way."
For the hosts, there was the added boon of David Nugent's return. Despite assurances from Davies 72 hours earlier that the top scorer had little chance of making even a possible play-off final on May 21, the striker's six-minute cameo following the now almost obligatory metatarsal fracture brought welcome relief following a catalogue of injuries.
Wayne Rooney might want to take note. Nugent's injury was deemed more serious than the one that jeopardises the Manchester United striker's World Cup involvement and the 20-year-old has made it back in a shade under seven weeks.
"I've proved it can be done," he said. "Wayne will see I've come back in just over six weeks and hopefully that'll give him a massive boost because England need him. Six weeks ago I thought my season was over. It's unbelievable."
Davies added: "He's come back in just six weeks and five days. How can you explain that? It's a remarkable recovery. Even the doctors are astounded."
Preston deserved their sixth victory in seven games to leapfrog their opponents into fourth and secure home advantage in next Monday's second leg. They were in little danger of dropping points once Brian Stock curled home his first goal for the club following his arrival from Bournemouth in January.
A low 25-yard free-kick past a static Neil Sullivan eight minutes before the interval following Matthew Kilgallon's foul on Jason Jarrett put Leeds on the back foot, although the visitors could point to Uriah Rennie having already played an advantage following the foul, allowing Danny Dichio to shoot weakly.
The second, surprisingly considering Preston's dominance as the contest wore on, failed to arrive until 12 minutes before the end. Frazer Richardson's attempted clearing header from a Chris Sedgwick shot caused chaos in the Leeds penalty area, with Sullivan only able to tip Dichio's follow-up on to the bar, allowing Brett Ormerod to seal the win from a yard out. An unmarked Simon Walton headed Leeds' best opening wide from Danny Pugh's corner midway through the second half, while a fine reaction save to deny the substitute Jermaine Beckford at the death earned Carlo Nash a club record 24th clean sheet of the season. On this evidence, it is a mark the keeper will be confident of extending over the next weeks.
Jason Mellor at Deepdale
Monday May 1, 2006
The Guardian
As a diminutive Scot, Billy Davies claims his main lifetime aim is to reach five feet three, but his Preston North End side clearly have loftier ambitions for him. His quest for added stature is likely to be the only tall order at Deepdale in the next couple of weeks, because the team he has fashioned on modest resources is looking capable of
ensuring he becomes the shortest manager in the Premiership.What amounted to an end-of-season stroll was played as though lives depended on the outcome, so heaven knows the commitment levels to be scaled when the sides next meet, at Elland Road on Friday in the second of a trilogy of encounters to contest a place in the Premiership.
There is history between the clubs, and with cross-Pennine pride on the line, those expecting a tame affair should have known better. In the past, Preston fans have watched with growing resentment as they have acted as a feeder club for Leeds with four players leaving for West Yorkshire (one of them via West Bromwich Albion).
Only two - David Healy and Sean Gregan - figured in this comprehensive defeat as Kevin Blackwell made eight changes. They included a first start after 13 months out injured for Steve Stone but the visitors failed to score against Preston for a second time this season. They go into the play-offs with one win from 10 games. "I'm not reading a lot into the result," insisted Blackwell. "A rocking Elland Road is a real place to go to and hopefully we can get a positive result. I'm pleased to get this out of the way."
For the hosts, there was the added boon of David Nugent's return. Despite assurances from Davies 72 hours earlier that the top scorer had little chance of making even a possible play-off final on May 21, the striker's six-minute cameo following the now almost obligatory metatarsal fracture brought welcome relief following a catalogue of injuries.
Wayne Rooney might want to take note. Nugent's injury was deemed more serious than the one that jeopardises the Manchester United striker's World Cup involvement and the 20-year-old has made it back in a shade under seven weeks.
"I've proved it can be done," he said. "Wayne will see I've come back in just over six weeks and hopefully that'll give him a massive boost because England need him. Six weeks ago I thought my season was over. It's unbelievable."
Davies added: "He's come back in just six weeks and five days. How can you explain that? It's a remarkable recovery. Even the doctors are astounded."
Preston deserved their sixth victory in seven games to leapfrog their opponents into fourth and secure home advantage in next Monday's second leg. They were in little danger of dropping points once Brian Stock curled home his first goal for the club following his arrival from Bournemouth in January.
A low 25-yard free-kick past a static Neil Sullivan eight minutes before the interval following Matthew Kilgallon's foul on Jason Jarrett put Leeds on the back foot, although the visitors could point to Uriah Rennie having already played an advantage following the foul, allowing Danny Dichio to shoot weakly.
The second, surprisingly considering Preston's dominance as the contest wore on, failed to arrive until 12 minutes before the end. Frazer Richardson's attempted clearing header from a Chris Sedgwick shot caused chaos in the Leeds penalty area, with Sullivan only able to tip Dichio's follow-up on to the bar, allowing Brett Ormerod to seal the win from a yard out. An unmarked Simon Walton headed Leeds' best opening wide from Danny Pugh's corner midway through the second half, while a fine reaction save to deny the substitute Jermaine Beckford at the death earned Carlo Nash a club record 24th clean sheet of the season. On this evidence, it is a mark the keeper will be confident of extending over the next weeks.