Preston North End face Scunthorpe tonight still looking for their first win under Phil Brown.

After a tough run of fixtures PNE are against a bottom half team for the first time in seven matches and they need to beat fellow strugglers Scunthorpe if they are to have any chance of survival.

Advertisements

PNE are cut adrift at the bottom and are 13 points off safety while the Irons could go within one point of 21st placed Crystal Palace with a win tonight.

This game has been postponed twice due to the weather, first on Boxing Day and then on January 29. North End will be hoping it is third time lucky tonight.

On January 29 PNE were just three points off Scunthorpe and had a good chance of overtaking the team with the worst home record in the football league and coming off the bottom.

Since then Scunthorpe’s home form has improved, they beat high flying Swansea and Nottingham Forest at home while PNE have failed to turn things around.

The Lilywhites are the only side in the Football League yet to record a win in 2011 and desperately need to change that tonight.

Former PNE player Eddie Nolan should play for Scunthorpe but they are unlikely to be at full strength with five players including on – loan Chelsea full back Ben Gordon doubtful. North End will be glad to have Barry Nicholson, Iain Turner and David Gray back.

Scunthorpe have failed to score in 17 of their 36 games while PNE haven’t kept a clean sheet since December 11. Something has to give in tonight’s crunch game.

Join our dedicated PNE man Andrew Smith on our live-blog from 7.30pm: