‘Team falls short’ as play-off hope ends
NOT OUR DAY, SAYS BOSS
A DISAPPOINTED Chris Wilder conceded that his players fell short and were beaten by the better team at Preston North End.
A 4-1 loss at Deepdale meant Boro’s play-off hopes came crashing down on the final day of the season, with Sheffield United and Luton Town claiming the last two spots.
Boro arrived at Deepdale on the back of two wins and still believing that they could make the top six to earn a play-off place.
They were relying on others, but first and foremost they had to get the job done in Lancashire and, on a really disappointing day, they were second best to Preston.
In a poor first half, Preston were 2-0 up at the break through Alan Browne and a Dael Fry own goal.
And, when Marcus Tavernier got one back just three minutes after the restart, there was some hope.
But that was shattered just five minutes later when the always lively Emil Riis added the hosts’ third before Paddy Mcnair conceded a penalty for handball on the goalline, resulting in an automatic red card and Riis sticking in the spot-kick to make the scoreline 4-1.
Wilder could do nothing but hold his hands up after that, admitting anything that could go wrong did.
A disappointed Boro boss said: “We fell short. It was not the performance we wanted and not our day. You wake up believing but it was not to be.
“Everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong. The players were really off of it.
“If anybody else outside of being a professional footballer asked me about nothing to play for ever again, I’ll just show you the performance of the opposition today. They fully deserved the result.
“I thought they were better than us all over the pitch. Their front two were better than our back three. Their midfield players dominated and dictated. Their back three were more aggressive. Their wing backs were better than our wing backs. Their goalkeeper made saves.
“We’ve had better results than them because that’s where we are and Preston are in the position that they are but it was a better performance individually and collectively by Preston and Ryan’s team. Their substitutions made impacts.
“It goes down to that really. It’s a pretty simplistic game. Our fight should have been bigger than theirs but they’ve put that question to bed about having anything to play for. That shut that one right up.”
The defeat brings Boro’s promising season to a disappointing end. There have been many highs and one too many lows for Wilder’s liking, this one at Preston being the culminating one.
After talking about the difference in the fight between the two sides, Wilder was asked about it and if that disappointed him.
He continued: “Goals change games and going 2-0 up, it becomes a
Everything that could have gone
wrong, did go wrong. The players were really off of
it
Chris Wilder
long afternoon. I’m not saying the players didn’t have a fight in them but it becomes a long afternoon.
“I look at the team. Plus point? Jonny Howson. That’s it.
“You come to any Championship game, regardless of whether it’s the 46th Championship game of the season, play-off final, first game of the season, if it’s Tuesday night here on a freezing November, players have got to turn up and play. We’ve not had anybody apart from Jonny Howson.
“I thought we were all right for the first 10 or 15 minutes. We were comfortable and obviously the first goal changes the dynamics of everything, gives them a boost. Then we go into our shell and make some poor decisions.
“On the far side, for the second goal, he comes out of a tackle between two of our players and then it’s a deflection. All of a sudden, you’re staring down the barrel.”