CHAMPIONSHIP Plymouth Argyle 0 Preston North End 1
- Details
- Created on Sunday, 17 March 2024 08:59
- Last Updated on Monday, 18 March 2024 09:11
- Published on Sunday, 17 March 2024 08:59
- Written by ROSS REID at Home Park
The win lifted North End to ninth, five points off sixth placed Norwich with a game in hand, while condemning Ian Foster’s Argyle to a fourth successive home defeat without scoring.
Substitute Liam Millar fired Preston ahead in the 43rd minute after a sweeping move down the left.
Liam Lindsay’s deep cross was flicked on by Will Keane and there was substitute Millar at the far post, meeting the ball with an accurate volley to smash the ball in the far corner.
Millar should have scored in the 20th minute.
Millar – on for Milutin Osmajic after seven minutes - latched on to a pass along the edged of the box by Mads Frokjaer-Jensen and raced into the area, chesting the ball down but then firing wide with only Argyle keeper Michael Cooper to beat from close range.
Argyle started on the front foot with Ryan Hardie firing wide after latching on to a superb through ball down the left Mickel Miller.
Preston boss Ryan Lowe was forced to shuffle his starting line-up early on as Osmajic and Brad Potts were both injured.
Goalscorer Millar was introduced for Osmajic while Layton Stewart replaced Potts in the 19th minute.
The two changes did little to disrupt North End’s intent and the forced the pace of the game for much of the first half.
Argyle’s best chances came late on as they forced successive corners, with North End keeper Freddie Woodman full stretch to tip away Adam Randell’s in swinging flag kick and then Mustapha Bundu heading high and wide just before the half time whistle.
Millar forced a good diving save from Cooper in the 52nd minute as Preston began the second half much as they had the first, on the front foot.
Cooper made an even better stop to deny Jordan Storey as he headed goalwards from the far post at a 59th minute corner.
Argyle top scorer Morgan Whittaker did his best to restore parity in the next attack but swept his shot wide when well placed in the box.
Will Keane’s long throw-in from the left was gathered by unmarked Stewart, 20 yards out and with time.
Stewart let fly with a stinging, dipping shot which beat Cooper but smashed off the foot of the post on 75 minutes.
Home favourite Adam Randell went close with his 20 yard strike in the 80th minute.
With eight games remaining Argyle slip to 18th in the 24-team table, two points above the relegation zone with just one win in nine Championship outings.
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