Daniel Jebbison heads home to complete comebackplaceholder image
Daniel Jebbison heads home to complete comeback | Getty Images
Lilywhites produce stunning comeback under the Deepdale floodlights
Preston North End returned to winning ways in extraordinary fashion on Friday night, coming from two goals down to beat Sheffield United 3-2 at Deepdale.
Manager Paul Heckingbottom was victorious over his former side courtesy of goals from Lewis Dobbin and another ex-Blade in Daniel Jebbison, either side of a Japhet Tanganga own goal.
That was after two strikes inside the opening 20 minutes for the visitors, scored by Andre Brooks and Callum O’Hare. The result puts PNE back into the top six, albeit before a ball has been kicked in any of the weekend’s other 11 matches.
North End started brightly with two of the players brought into the starting lineup at the heart of it. Alfie Devine and Dobbin saw efforts well blocked by the Blades back line, who also stood firm to deny Ben Whiteman and Lewis Gibson from range inside the opening 10 minutes.
However, against the direction of traffic, United took the lead at the end of what had been a dominant spell for PNE. Tyrese Campbell angled an impeccable through ball to Brooks, who burst through an open Lilywhites defence and slotted home.
Chris Wilder’s side swiftly doubled their advantage. From a throw in high up the pitch, O’Hare received the ball thanks to another Campbell assist, dancing through the North End defence before finishing at Iversen’s near post.
The Blades threatened again with a set piece. Sydie Peck sent a cross in but Chiedozie Ogbene’s header only found the roof of the net. Shortly after Lewis Gibson’s game was cut short due to injury, a defensive misunderstanding allowed the away side to break again but the ball was scrambled away by substitute Liam Lindsay.
On the stroke of half time, North End halved the deficit when a fluid team move was finished off by the front two. After PNE surged down the right, Jebbison picked out Dobbin on the edge of the box and he launched a fierce effort into the bottom corner.
Just 54 seconds into the second half, the scores were back level. Jordan Storey connected with Devine’s deep free kick but Tanganga got the final touch which sent it past the outstretched Michael Cooper.
The Deepdale faithful encouraged North End every time they went forward throughout the game but the leveller gave the atmosphere an extra kick, and the Alan Kelly Town End let out a gasp as Dobbin fired over from 20 yards, following some nice work with Harrison Armstrong.
Then came the moment that almost took the roof off: PNE turned the game around completely through ex-Sheffield United man Jebbison, who scored an exquisite pinpoint header after a delightful cross from Andrija Vukcevic on 58 minutes.
Devine’s deceptive drive midway through the half forced Cooper to make a fine stop, low to his right before the Blades cleared their lines, but the Spurs loanee tried again for a fourth moments later, this time the shot flashing just wide.
North End’s defence survived some hairy moments in the minutes that followed, before Ben Whiteman’s punt direct from a 25-yard free kick grazed the bar. Djibril Soumare was left unmarked from a United corner but fired over from close quarters.
Up the other end, moments after coming on, Michael Smith had a golden opportunity to make his 500th career appearance a memorable one, but he dragged his shot wide. North End dug deep in the final stages to claim a vital three points that lifts them to fifth in the Championship table.
Attendance: 16,542. PNE starting XI: Iversen, Storey, Gibson (Lindsay 39’), Hughes, Offiah, Vukcevic (Small 63’), Whiteman (c), Armstrong, Devine (Thordarson 78’), Jebbison (Smith 78’), Dobbin (Osmajic 78’). PNE unused subs: Walton, Frokjaer, Carroll.
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