Match Review: Preston North End 2 Boro 1

A dominant display yielded no reward as Boro were beaten on the road by Preston.

The Teessiders controlled long spells of the Valentine’s Day contest and Finn Azaz struck a delightful first goal for the club, but the hosts delivered two telling blows against the run of play.

Michael Carrick made four changes to refresh his Boro side from the weekend’s defeat to Bristol City. Midfielders Dan Barlaser and Lewis O’Brien dropped to the bench are were replaced by Jonny Howson and Riley McGree, making his first start since returning from the Asian Cup. In defence, Luke Thomas was handed a full debut at the expense of Lukas Engel while the injured Dael Fry was replaced by Matt Clarke. 

Matthew Hoppe was also included in Boro’s senior squad for the first time in over a year, having spent the 2023 MLS season on loan with San Jose Earthquakes.

On the ground that Carrick’s Boro tenure began just under 14 months ago, his side set the early tempo on a pitch tempered by persistent rain. 

The game’s first meaningful opportunity went Boro’s way too, Azaz’s slide-rule ball for Marcus Forss falling to Sam Greenwood whose bobbling shot was saved by Freddie Woodman.

The hosts, though, snatched the lead out of the blue; after Boro half-dealt with a ball into their area, Liam Millar jinked away from Howson before squeezing a low shot past Tom Glover at his near post. 

Boro continued on the offensive after falling behind, Greenwood hitting a rasping drive that rippled the side netting and later Azaz sending a volley over the top from a corner.

And before the interval, appeals for a Boro penalty were waved away after Forss latched onto another smart Azaz pass, chopped inside Robbie Brady and went to ground.

The second half continued in a familiar pattern as Boro sought the cutting edge to turn their fortunes in Lancashire. 

After bright work from McGree which took the ball from box to box, another Azaz shot flicked just wide off Greg Cunningham.

And the lively Azaz finally had his just rewards soon after, curling home a beauty to open his account and deservedly get his team on terms. 

The parity was short-lived. Again, the home side showed the killer touch, Will Keane’s shot deflecting heavily to wrong foot Glover and leave Emil Riis with a simple finish.

Boro found themselves behind again, but were not short of opportunities to claim a second equaliser in the game’s latter stages.

Howson rattled a shot goalwards which again spun narrowly wide off a white shirt. McGree delivered a cross onto the left boot of Forss, whose sweet volley had Woodman springing to his left to save. Ayling delivered a cross to substitute Sam Silvera who couldn’t get over his shot which sailed wide.

Perhaps the best chance of the lot was created by a sumptuous flick from Azaz through to Thomas, who dragged his shot off target and also out of the reach of a sliding McGree.

At the other end, Montenegrin forward Milutin Osmajić had a rare chance for a Preston third but was thwarted by Glover, the Lilywhites’ two goals enough to claim all three points.