It comes to something when the biggest cheer of the day was in the 55th minute when North End finally managed a shot on target from Andy Procter, at this point in time the home side were already 2 down to visitors Doncaster Rovers thanks to two soft first half goals.
It has been noted that when North End go behind this season they very rarely comeback to take any points, so when Donny went one up in the first minute it meant the next 89 minutes would be exceedingly long for the home side.
A poor decision by the referee gave a corner to Doncaster when it looked like a goal kick. From the resulting corner Syers half hit volley looped gently over transfixed players and landed just inside the post. (0-1)
North End offered little in the opening stages of the half and with Cotterill and the impressive Kyle Bennett it looked like Rovers would score when they wanted.
The only action for the home fans to cheer was when two fans started lumping seven bells out of each other, both were home fans.
Rovers increased their lead on the half hour when Cotterill's free kick floated over everyone into the net, not keeper Stuckmann's finest hour. (0-2)
Game over.
The second half started with a spirited Preston trying to fight back, apart from Hayhurst and substitute Elding's narrow misses it was just a matter of having to wait for the referee to put an end to the home fans misery.
Rovers were denied a clear cut penalty when Paynter was clearly fouled however the referee made amends by giving them a penalty when it should have been a free kick to North End.
Paynter scored from the spot. (0-3)
The natives are getting restless at Deepdale.
Preston North End 0 Doncaster Rovers 3 Att 9626
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Game 33 Half decent
This was a half decent game, the first providing as much entertainment than many of the preceding matches in recent months . Sadly though the end product was a goalless draw between Preston and Bury in front of a decent Boxing Day crowd of 12200.
North End started at a breakneck pace having four efforts on goal in the first 2 minutes sadly all were not converted due to their inability to hit a cow's backside with a banjo, Beardsley, King, Hayhurst and Welsh having the efforts.
Bury were defending for their lives in thje first 20 minutes, a Hayhurst shot was blocked by a defender and other shots went high wide and not too handsome.
North End's approach play was good some nice one touch passes but once they got near the goal the moves collapsed.
Indeed it was Bury who should have taken the lead after 25 minutes when Hooper found himself in the clear after clever work by Healy, his shot found the side netting it should have found the side netting it should have been scored.
A chronicly short back pass by Wright let in Hooper but Stuckmann managed to block his shot. Back down the other end North End continued on their shot to miss policy and half time arrived it seemed fairly obvious that Bury were going to sneak a victory.
The best thing that could have happened was that everyone should have gone home at half time as the second half was dire, apart from Thompson's shot for the Shakers in the second half, nothing happened apart from the ball being continually booted into outer space.
Preston North End 0 Bury 0 Att 12200
North End started at a breakneck pace having four efforts on goal in the first 2 minutes sadly all were not converted due to their inability to hit a cow's backside with a banjo, Beardsley, King, Hayhurst and Welsh having the efforts.
Bury were defending for their lives in thje first 20 minutes, a Hayhurst shot was blocked by a defender and other shots went high wide and not too handsome.
North End's approach play was good some nice one touch passes but once they got near the goal the moves collapsed.
Indeed it was Bury who should have taken the lead after 25 minutes when Hooper found himself in the clear after clever work by Healy, his shot found the side netting it should have found the side netting it should have been scored.
A chronicly short back pass by Wright let in Hooper but Stuckmann managed to block his shot. Back down the other end North End continued on their shot to miss policy and half time arrived it seemed fairly obvious that Bury were going to sneak a victory.
The best thing that could have happened was that everyone should have gone home at half time as the second half was dire, apart from Thompson's shot for the Shakers in the second half, nothing happened apart from the ball being continually booted into outer space.
Preston North End 0 Bury 0 Att 12200
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Gaame 32 Slog in the wet
Lancaster City edged out Curzon Ashton 3-2 at a very soggy Lancaster this afternoon. Both teams deserve credit for an eventful 90 minutes in non too ideal conditions. Also, credit goes to the few who managed to get the game on.
Curzon took the lead in the fifth minute when a shot from the left hand side of the box was half saved by McDonald, the ball ran to Evans who dispatched the ball home from a narrow angle.
It took Lancaster three minutes to level the score when a long punt up field was misjudged by the Curzon defender, Green took advantage to chip the ball over the keepers head from 20 yards.
Within a minute Curzon were down to 10, a bit of handbags on the touchline and out came the red card, Metcalfe? being the player to get first use of the shower a good 80 minutes before the rest of the players. City went close shortly afterwards, but from then until half time Curzon ran the game.
Two shots from Curzon’s No 7 both from 30 plus yards were superbly saved by McDonald in the City goal.
Curzon went back in front after 20 minutes a free kick form the left which found it’s way to Hunt who bundled home from close range.
Curzon’s remaining outfielders passed the ball around in difficult conditions keeping City at bay with ease and then on half time came a pivotal turning point, slack defending by City let Evans in, he tried to take the ball round McDonald but the City keeper managed to get in the way of the ball and the danger was cleared.
At half time the mist and rain arrived and finally City managed to get a grip of the game, two goals in the space of three minutes by Kilfin and Elderton turned the games around, Kilfin from a narrow angle and a classic diving header from Elderton from a right wing cross.
It started to become a slog in the mud for both teams until Curzon went for broke both sides playing the counter attack game, Curzon perhaps came closet when a player sliding in at the back post narrowly failed to get a touch on the ball as it whizzed past the post.
City were hanging on at the end but Curzon couldn’t get the leveller which they may have deserved.
Curzon took the lead in the fifth minute when a shot from the left hand side of the box was half saved by McDonald, the ball ran to Evans who dispatched the ball home from a narrow angle.
It took Lancaster three minutes to level the score when a long punt up field was misjudged by the Curzon defender, Green took advantage to chip the ball over the keepers head from 20 yards.
Within a minute Curzon were down to 10, a bit of handbags on the touchline and out came the red card, Metcalfe? being the player to get first use of the shower a good 80 minutes before the rest of the players. City went close shortly afterwards, but from then until half time Curzon ran the game.
Two shots from Curzon’s No 7 both from 30 plus yards were superbly saved by McDonald in the City goal.
Curzon went back in front after 20 minutes a free kick form the left which found it’s way to Hunt who bundled home from close range.
Curzon’s remaining outfielders passed the ball around in difficult conditions keeping City at bay with ease and then on half time came a pivotal turning point, slack defending by City let Evans in, he tried to take the ball round McDonald but the City keeper managed to get in the way of the ball and the danger was cleared.
At half time the mist and rain arrived and finally City managed to get a grip of the game, two goals in the space of three minutes by Kilfin and Elderton turned the games around, Kilfin from a narrow angle and a classic diving header from Elderton from a right wing cross.
It started to become a slog in the mud for both teams until Curzon went for broke both sides playing the counter attack game, Curzon perhaps came closet when a player sliding in at the back post narrowly failed to get a touch on the ball as it whizzed past the post.
City were hanging on at the end but Curzon couldn’t get the leveller which they may have deserved.
Lancaster City 3 Curzon Ashton 3 Att 152
The picture shows City celebrating their first goal
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Game 31 Clueless
Another miserable experience for the vast majority of the 8542 crowd as Preston put in a hapless performance against Crewe Alexandra today. Losing 3-1 at home with all Crewe's goals coming through the black hole that was the centre of Preston's defence.
Irony was that Preston's keeper didn't have a save to make in the entire game, mind you neither did Martin in the Crewe goal.
North End started well keeping Crewe pinned back however any attempts at goal ended up with the visiting supporters behind the goal.
Crewe when they did attack went closest when an Ellis header went narrowly wide from a corner.
On the half hour Crewe took the lead a cross from the left wing found Murphy with nobody near him, easy as you like placed the ball past Stuckmann into the net. (0-1)
Half time came and the home side were booed off, the boos were louder when Crewe scored twice more within 7 minutes of the restart, both goals were similar, breaking from deep Crewe expolited massive gaps in the Preston back line as Inman and Pogba accepted simple but well worked goals. (0-3)
38 Minutes to go, do you read, look at mobile phone, sleep or stay and watch in the vain hope that your side will pull of a miracle score four time and pull of a great comeback.
Well I stayed but there was no miracle comeback although if Elding had converted a chance at the near post, they may have had a chhance, but the writing was on the wall when North End's first clear site on goal was hit into Preston Bus Station two miles away by Moushino.
Huntingdon did pull a goal back with a header from a corner with a minute to go and had a chance to score shortly afterwards but by then most people had stopped caring.
Preston North End 1 Crewe Alexandra 3 Att 8542
Irony was that Preston's keeper didn't have a save to make in the entire game, mind you neither did Martin in the Crewe goal.
North End started well keeping Crewe pinned back however any attempts at goal ended up with the visiting supporters behind the goal.
Crewe when they did attack went closest when an Ellis header went narrowly wide from a corner.
On the half hour Crewe took the lead a cross from the left wing found Murphy with nobody near him, easy as you like placed the ball past Stuckmann into the net. (0-1)
Half time came and the home side were booed off, the boos were louder when Crewe scored twice more within 7 minutes of the restart, both goals were similar, breaking from deep Crewe expolited massive gaps in the Preston back line as Inman and Pogba accepted simple but well worked goals. (0-3)
38 Minutes to go, do you read, look at mobile phone, sleep or stay and watch in the vain hope that your side will pull of a miracle score four time and pull of a great comeback.
Well I stayed but there was no miracle comeback although if Elding had converted a chance at the near post, they may have had a chhance, but the writing was on the wall when North End's first clear site on goal was hit into Preston Bus Station two miles away by Moushino.
Huntingdon did pull a goal back with a header from a corner with a minute to go and had a chance to score shortly afterwards but by then most people had stopped caring.
Preston North End 1 Crewe Alexandra 3 Att 8542
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Game 30 Hoof
A 124 hardy souls ventured from the comforts of warm living rooms to watch this honest but average game of football between Lancaster City and Burscough. The points were shared in a 2 all draw.
A first half which saw the ball being propelled mainly towards the stars saw Lancaster take an early lead, when Simpson managed to evade the Burscough back line and fire the ball past the visiting keeper.
There was little action for the next 20 minutes although there were some meaty tackles. Burscough’s centre half departed early after a swinging arm seemed to demolish a couple of his teeth.
For a while City decided to actually play some decent football on the ground, but soon resorted again to the aerial route.
Burscough came close to an equaliser when the visitor’s captain was unlucky with a cracking volley which just cleared the crossbar.
On 34 minutes City doubled their lead when Swarbrick received the ball 35 yards out and promptly blasted the ball over the badly positioned keeper into the back of the net. (2-0)
That was as good as it got for City, the visitors had three chances in as many minutes before half time to reduce the award all were spurned. It was a sign of things to come.
It took Burscough until the hour mark to reduce the arrears when Jones powered home a header from a corner. (2-1)
The visitors looked the better side by now and had several chances which went close and then five minutes from time another scruffy goal by Williams from a free kick levelled the score.(2-2)
Burscough pressed for the winner and although they went close they didn’t get it.
A first half which saw the ball being propelled mainly towards the stars saw Lancaster take an early lead, when Simpson managed to evade the Burscough back line and fire the ball past the visiting keeper.
There was little action for the next 20 minutes although there were some meaty tackles. Burscough’s centre half departed early after a swinging arm seemed to demolish a couple of his teeth.
For a while City decided to actually play some decent football on the ground, but soon resorted again to the aerial route.
Burscough came close to an equaliser when the visitor’s captain was unlucky with a cracking volley which just cleared the crossbar.
On 34 minutes City doubled their lead when Swarbrick received the ball 35 yards out and promptly blasted the ball over the badly positioned keeper into the back of the net. (2-0)
That was as good as it got for City, the visitors had three chances in as many minutes before half time to reduce the award all were spurned. It was a sign of things to come.
It took Burscough until the hour mark to reduce the arrears when Jones powered home a header from a corner. (2-1)
The visitors looked the better side by now and had several chances which went close and then five minutes from time another scruffy goal by Williams from a free kick levelled the score.(2-2)
Burscough pressed for the winner and although they went close they didn’t get it.
Lancaster City 2 Burscough 2 Att 124
Saturday, December 1, 2012
GAME 29 Into the third round
In the end Preston North End deserved their 2-0 win over League 2 leaders Gillingham although they had to survive a couple of nervy moments before cementing their place in the third round of the world's most famous cup competition.
North End started like a house on fire and had an early chance which Robertson somehow managed to clear instead of heading towards goal. Wingers Monkana and Holmes were causing the visitors a stream of problems with their speed.
It was no surprise when the home side took a 12th minute lead although there was a touch of fortune about the goal about the goal, Monakana's shot took a deflection and ended up in the net. (1-0)
At that moment in time it looked as if North End would win quite easily but they were give a scare half way through the half when Fish found himself in acres of space, his first effort was tame however his second effort was well saved by a home supporter 15 rows back in the crowd. The Gills fans were about to celebrate a goal from Vincelot however the mammoth reach of Preston keeper Stuckmann pulled out a fine save to save the day.
It became apparent that one goal would not be enough especially when a cross from the right narrowly avoided Burton who was sliding in at the back post.
Within a minute of this miss, the home side had doubled the lead, Davies back pass was woefully short of Fortune who lost the ball to Holmes, the ball squirmed into space were Beavon was on hand to blast the ball home. (2-0) Job done, not quite.
A frenetic start to the second half saw the Gills awarded a penalty for hand ball by Welsh, Burton hit the post with the kick, within a minute Monakana was brought down on his way to goal, most people thought so except Mr Kettle who waved play on. It was end to end stuff as Beavon rattled the Gills post from 12 yards and Stuckmann pulled off a world class save to deny Burton.
As the tempreture began to dip so did the game, North End thought they had scored a third, but a foul on the keeper was given.
Gillingham battled hard but the massed ranks of the home defence kept them at bay.
Preston North End 2 Gillingham 0 Att 5271 with about 400 from Gillingham
North End started like a house on fire and had an early chance which Robertson somehow managed to clear instead of heading towards goal. Wingers Monkana and Holmes were causing the visitors a stream of problems with their speed.
It was no surprise when the home side took a 12th minute lead although there was a touch of fortune about the goal about the goal, Monakana's shot took a deflection and ended up in the net. (1-0)
At that moment in time it looked as if North End would win quite easily but they were give a scare half way through the half when Fish found himself in acres of space, his first effort was tame however his second effort was well saved by a home supporter 15 rows back in the crowd. The Gills fans were about to celebrate a goal from Vincelot however the mammoth reach of Preston keeper Stuckmann pulled out a fine save to save the day.
It became apparent that one goal would not be enough especially when a cross from the right narrowly avoided Burton who was sliding in at the back post.
Within a minute of this miss, the home side had doubled the lead, Davies back pass was woefully short of Fortune who lost the ball to Holmes, the ball squirmed into space were Beavon was on hand to blast the ball home. (2-0) Job done, not quite.
A frenetic start to the second half saw the Gills awarded a penalty for hand ball by Welsh, Burton hit the post with the kick, within a minute Monakana was brought down on his way to goal, most people thought so except Mr Kettle who waved play on. It was end to end stuff as Beavon rattled the Gills post from 12 yards and Stuckmann pulled off a world class save to deny Burton.
As the tempreture began to dip so did the game, North End thought they had scored a third, but a foul on the keeper was given.
Gillingham battled hard but the massed ranks of the home defence kept them at bay.
Preston North End 2 Gillingham 0 Att 5271 with about 400 from Gillingham
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