BAGG SNATCH
Preston fury at Austin late winner
CHARLIE AUSTIN’S lastminute penalty sent West Brom back to the top at Deepdale last night.
Austin, who had come on as a 75th-minute sub, kept his nerve to convert the spot-kick sending Declan Rudd the wrong way.
But Preston were fuming at what looked a soft penalty award by ref Oliver Langford, claiming Kyle Edwards had dangled his leg in the hope that Rudd would make contact.
Hero Austin said: “I think it’s a penalty, Kyle anticipated a touch, felt contact and went down but that’s the luck you need in this division.
“I had a look at the keeper and sent him the wrong way.
“We’ve got great youngsters, we’re top of the league and it’s an exciting future for us.”
The sides had scored 66 times between them so perhaps it was inevitable that the game should have to wait so long for a goal.
Slaven Bilic’s Baggies kicked off on the back of a four-game winning run and an eight-game unbeaten streak.
And it looked a mismatch in the first half as they carved out a number of chances against an injury-ravaged North End side missing five key players and whose confidence had been hit by two successive away defeats.
Rudd kept them in it, saving shots from Nathan Ferguson, Hal Robson-Kanu and Matt Phillips who also curled an effort just wide.
Albion should have taken the lead, though, when defender Kyle Bartley somehow fired wide from close range after Phillips’ free-kick found him unmarked at the far post.
Preston simply could keep the ball for more than a couple of passes and their only goal threat in the first period came when
Sean Maguire saw his shot from an impossible angle beaten away by Sam Johnstone.
No doubt fired up by boss Alex Neil, Preston improved drastically after the break and showed greater energy, aggression and goal threat.
Johnstone’s fingertip save from Daniel Johnson denied them the lead before Alan Browne’s goalbound shot was blocked by Ferguson virtually on the line.
Preston peppered Albion’s box with long balls and crosses for a spell and looked as if they had slugged out a point until Austin’s late winner.