Preston North End reporter on what Bolton can expect at Deepdale this weekend
Dave Seddon of the Lancashire Evening Post speaks to bwfc.co.uk to preview the weekend’s game between Preston North End and Bolton Wanderers at Deepdale.
bwfc.co.uk: How would you say Preston have adjusted to life back in the Sky Bet Championship?
DS: A little bit slowly if truth be told. They started okay and registered a few points early on, but have since hit a bit of a rocky patch either side of the international break. They went through September without registering a win and you could see the confidence was a bit of an issue. During that period they were missing a few key players through a combination of injury and suspension, but recently there have been more positives signs.
bwfc.co.uk: What would constitute to a successful season at Preston?
DS: First and foremost staying up. It’d be nice to do it without looking over shoulders come March and April time. With other results going against them, Preston dropped to the foot of the table a few weeks back before they actually had chance to play their game, so that wasn’t a nice feeling. The target has to be survival and if they are able to push on to lower to mid-table and get comfortable that’d be fantastic.
bwfc.co.uk: What kind of a game can Bolton fans expect at Deepdale?
DS: I think it’ll be a decent game. It’s imperative that both sides start the game well. Neither side is in the best of form, so it’s one of those games where you don’t want to fall behind. It’ll be interesting to see how Bolton will approach the game. Will they look to give it a real go and attack Preston given their league position, or possibly sit back and play on the counter being away from home? It’s the first game between the two sides in a long time and whilst the fact that it’s on Sky may hit the attendance slightly, they’ll be a cracking atmosphere.
bwfc.co.uk: Who’s the dangerman?
DS: In terms of scoring goals the main threat would have to be Joe Garner. Whilst he hasn’t scored this season yet, he has netted 50 goals in last two season. He’s been suspended recently and came on as a sub last time out, so he’s pushing for a start. The main goal threat this season has come from midfield pair Daniel Johnson and Paul Gallagher. Gallagher has recently returned to fitness and netted twice against Charlton.
bwfc.co.uk: And finally, a prediction?
DS: I’m going for a 2-0 home win, though it’ll be tense and tight and I don’t think there will be much in it.
Dave is on Twitter, @Sedd_lep.
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