Past Meetings: Preston v Swans

9th January
First team

As Swansea City get set for another weekend of Championship action we look back at some previous encounters against Saturday’s opposition Preston at Deepdale.

Here we recall past meetings in the Championship, the old Second Division and the old Third Division.

Preston 0 - 2 Swansea

Championship - September 30, 2008

Ferrie Bodde stunned the Deepdale faithful with a strike from 40-yards as Roberto Martinez’ side beat Preston in 2008.

Given time and space on the edge of the centre circle, Bodde fired a rocket from his favourite right-foot which flew over the head of Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan inside 20 minutes.

The goal invigorated a Swans’ side who had been under pressure early on and Bodde again came close with a speculative effort, though this time Lonergan was equal to it.

Alan Irvine’s side had chances to get themselves back into the game with Chris Brown and Ross Wallace both coming close in the second-half, but they couldn’t get the better of Dorus de Vries.

And the visitors secured three points late into the second-half when Guillem Bauza was brought down in the area, allowing Jordi Gomez to score from the spot in front of the travelling jacks.

Preston 1 - 3 Swansea

Division Two - 9 March, 1993

A penalty from Colin West and a first-half brace from Jason Bowen saw Frank Burrows’ Swansea side breeze past Preston at Deepdale in 1993.

Bowen won a penalty inside 10 minutes after being taken down in the area by Preston defender Colin Greenall, and West made no mistake in firing home from the penalty spot.

Bowen got on the scoresheet himself soon after, netting twice in six minutes to put the visitors out of sight by half-time.

Preston did score a consolation late on as Mick Norbury beat Roger Freestone in the Swansea net, however they failed to force any kind of comeback.

Preston 2 - 2 Swans

Division Three - 14 September, 1991

Republic of Ireland Under-21 defender Derek Brazil made his debut for the Swans as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Preston in 1991.

The visitors should have had the game won by half-time, and perhaps would have done had it not been for some heroic goalkeeper from Preston's Alan Kelly.

Swansea went ahead through a Mike Flynn own goal and, after being set back by the first of a Graham Shaw brace, retook the lead in the second half courtesy of Paul Raynor.

But the Lilywhites were gifted an equaliser in the dying minutes, with Shaw taking advantage, meaning that the Swans remained the only Division Three side yet to pick up a win.

Preston 1 - 3 Swansea

Division 2 - 2 May, 1981

Backed by over 10,000 travelling Swansea supporters, John Toshack’s side secured promotion to the First Division in dramatic fashion at Preston in 1981 on one of the most famous days in the club's history..

First-half goals from Leighton James and Tommy Craig gave the visitors a two-goal cushion going into half-time, though their lead was halved with 10 minutes to play as Lilywhites forward Alex Bruce gave the hosts a fighting chance.

But victory and promotion was secured just minutes later for the Swans as Jeremy Charles’ flashed an effort into the net with his ;left foot - after good work by Alan Curtis and Robbie James - to send the Swans into the top tier for the first time in their history, relegating North End in the process.