Preston North End boss lifts lid on astonishing half-time decision which paved way for victory against Portsmouth
Paul Heckingbottom has lifted the lid on the key decision to make four changes at half-time against Pompey.
Preston were lucky to go into the break level at Deepdale with the game finely poised at 0-0. However, the North End boss opted to make a quadruple change with Robbie Brady, Sam Greenwood, Ben Whiteman and Andrew Hughes replacing Mads Frokjaer, Liam Lindsay, Jaden Maghoma and Ryan Ledson.
Ched Evans was also introduced midway through the second-period and made an instant impact assisting Ryan Porteous for the 75th-minute opener.
And fellow substitute Brady was able to unlock the Pompey defence in the dying minutes when he played through Stefan Thordarson, who rounded Nicolas Schmid to score the late winner.
Heckingbottom has explained the brutal decision to make a quadruple change at the break to limit Pompey’s attacking threat.
The Lilywhites boss told Lancashire Evening Post: We needed to change it (at half-time) and I enjoyed watching the second half, enjoyed being part of it and we created enough chances to win, which is a pleasing thing. It's a fantastic (winning) goal. The build-up's good, with Robbie and Hughesy. After Portsmouth had equalised we missed that other golden chance straight after and I felt it was going to be another one of those games where I'm saying the same thing up here.
‘So yeah, that's why I'm really, really pleased with the win. After our goal, they were piling the ball in, getting set plays, we gave one or two cheap free kicks away and you've got to stand strong to it. Fred's saying he was fouled; I've not seen it back. Then Hughes' man - loses him to score - so of course we're disappointed with it. But we kept going and deserved it chance-wise. We actually changed shape slightly at half-time, which helped. I think it was more the changes and the messages rather than the shape change.
‘When Ched came on we were actually going to change shape then, but we scored straight away so we stayed the same again. When they scored we went a bit more attacking in terms of taking risks to win the game, because I want to be consistent with what I'm saying. The draws aren't all good for us when we've been on top or created enough to win games. So, we're going to keep pushing and try and get three. The ones that came off (at half-time), you can say it's harsh.
‘But it's more the message and not accepting how we were playing. It's not anyone's fault. We as a team, how we set the team up, we went out lethargic. Ledo (Ryan Ledson) was still the one winning the most headers, the most second balls. Mads (Frokjaer) was the one who I felt was injecting the most energy into the team, but he had a booking, he was never going to last 90 and he was annoying the referee I think. So, it's harsh on the ones who come off, but it suited Ben (Whiteman) and Steffi more being deeper.’
Sam Greenword’s red card after Colby Bishop incident
Deep into added time, half-time substitute Greenwood was shown a second yellow card for a late high arm on Colby Bishop.
Heckingbottom explained his disappointment in the attacking midfielder but opted against commenting on the decision.
‘It's unnecessary that one. I’ve spoken to Sam about things like that before and he's been really, really good at it. But then that's obviously come back to haunt him. I've not watched the second one on purpose because I know you'd ask me about it. So, I can't comment. I'll have a chat with Sam after if there's anything in it, but 100 per cent the first one was unnecessary.’