PNE Vs Wednesday

Date: Monday 26th December

Venue: Deepdale, Preston

Wednesday travel to Preston on boxing day to try and restore some festive spirit at Hillsborough after a run of six games without a win.

Preston on the other hand have gone 13 games without defeat, but have only won four of those matches.

Manager Billy Davis has had to deal with big losses to his playing staff in a bid to keep the bank off their back's but has managed to keep star striker David Nugent in a bid to push for a play-off spot this season. He's also managed to bring in the highly-talented David Jones on loan from Manchester United.

North End were forced to sell Richard Creswell to promotion rivals Leeds United at the start of the season and despite keeping the highly-rated Nugent, they've failed to find a strike partner to bang in the goals alongside him.

Nugent has only managed five goals this season and strike partner Daniel Dichio has failed to find the net since joining the Deepdale outfit.

Wednesday are facing similar problems in attack so I wouldn't count out a 0-0 draw between the two sides - a result which was shared with our city rivals and PNE last Friday night.

David Graham limped off in the first half of Wednesdays 1-0 home defeat to Ipswich at the weekend and will recieve a late fitness test. On-loan striker Gaby Agbonlahor will be looking to make his first start since the Norwich game after Lee Peacock and Daryl Murphy missed guilt-edged sitters at the weekend.

Manager Paul Sturrock extended Nicky Weaver's loan spell from Manchester City after fears that David Lucas would not make it through the hectic christmas period after suffering a bad injury. Weaver is likely to feature in the boxing day clash.

PNE:  Nash, Alexander, Mawene, Davis, Mears, Sedgwick (Lewis Neal 73), Jones, Nowland, Hill, Nugent (Agyemang 83), Dichio.
Subs Not Used: Ward, Lucketti, O'Neil.

Wednesday:  Weaver, Coughlan, Wood, Simek, Gilbert, Whelan, O'Brien, Peacock (Corr 75), Adams (Eagles 67), Murphy, Graham (Brunt 40).
Subs Not Used: Lee, Hills.

Last Time Out:

1st March 2003

Wednesday 0-1 Preston NE

Wednesday: Evans, Westwood, Smith, Monk, Barry-Murphy, Quinn, Powell, McLaren, Johnston, Bradbury, Kuqi. Subs: Pressman, Maddix, Crane, Reddy, Owusu

Preson NE: Gould, Alexander, Jackson, Edwards, Lucketti, Cartwright, O'Neil, McKenna, Lewis, Cresswell, Koumantarakis. Subs: Lucas, Skora, Broomes, Mears, Lynch

Goals: Cresswell 79'

Head-To-Head:

Current Form (last 5):

 Won (QPR A 2-0), Drew (Watford H 1-1), Won (Crewe Alexandre A 2-0), Drew (Derby County A 1-1), Drew (Sheffield United H 0-0)

  Draw (Plymouth H 0-0) Lost (Stoke City H 0-2) Lost (Sheffield United A 0-1) Lost (Hull City A 0-1) Lost (Ipswich Town H 0-1)

Check out the Interview with our opposition fan here!!.......

http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s375/st80231.htm

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