Still unbeaten

or 75 minutes this game was similar in character to Swindon's last visit to Deepdale, they were getting a hammering at the hands of a rampant Preston side, 2 down and looking any thing but secure at the back, but credit to the injury Wiltshire side they made the home side sweat for the points in the 2-1 Preston win.
A warm late September afternoon saw North End take an early lead when a good move down the left hand side of the pitch led o Hume heading home the rebound after Davies shot had been saved by the slightly dodgy keeper Foderingham.
From that moment North End won every tackle, header and were playing Swindon off the park, they should have been comfortably out of sight by half time, Davies missed a sitter although was spared by the offside flag, a spectacular Beavon effort went over the bar when he had time to control the ball and put in a better effort. Hard to complain this was the best home performance of the season and the the half time lead was no more than they deserved.
North End quickly doubled the lead early in the second half albeit with some defending which will go down in the classic defending cock ups award. A North End centre from the left came to nothing and McEveley lobbed back pass to his keeper sailed majestically over Foderingham's head into the back of the net. (2-0)
North End were in full control and nothing looked further away than a home win.
But Swindon slowly started to get back into the game and Ajose brought a fine save from Rudd in the home goal, to give Swindon credit they stuck to their passing game and were finally rewarded 6 minutes from time, when following a corner N'Guessan aimed a lazy right foot at the ball and curled it just inside the far post. (2-1)
Game on, North End were begging to look a little weary and in the dying embers of the game Rudd pulled off a fantastic finger tip save to deny the visitors a point in all truth that would not have been deserved.
Finally spare a thought for Swindon's keeper Wes Foderingham substituted after 20 minutes last season by the mad Italian Di Canio, he had another afternoon to forget at Deepdale, after the comic own goal, his kicking was dreadful, lucky not to concede another own goal but at least he lasted 90 minutes this time.
Still unbeaten in the league 5 wins on the bounce early days still but doing nicely.

Preston North End 2 Swindon Town 1 Att 9296

Looking good

In the end Lancaster City duly defeated bottom of the league Radcliffe Borough by 4-1, goals by Hunter, Jackson 2 and Wearing to a solitary reply by Thornton.
Borough almost scored in their first attack shooting just over, but apart from that early score City dominated the first half, an early free kick was floated in by Hunter, it missed everybody and ended up in the net. More non existant defending from a corner led to the second from Jackson and it was all too easy as City started to switch off thinking the game had been won.
If the impressive Chadwick had managed to hit the net instead of the keeper, it may have stung City back into action,but it’s hard to complain when your 2 up.
Jackson nearly added a third with a neat flick but thoroughly against the run of play Radcliffe pulled a goal back on the hour, City’s defence went missing from a corner and Thornton bundled the ball home after a pass from Chadwick.
The goal stung City into action and from 25 yards Jackson volleyed home in superb style, credit to the visitors they battled back and Chadwick brought a good save from Hale to keep the two goal lead in tack.
It was their last meaningful effort and in the dying embers of the game Wearing was fouled in the area, the referee played advantage and Wearing kept his cool and slotted home the fourth.

Lancaster City 4 Radcliffe Borough 1 Att 192

No welcoming return

In the end North End ran out fairly comfortable winners against Stevenage managed by ex Preston Manager Graham Westley, a lot of pre match hype in respects of the game had been whipped up by the ex and some home fans found it almost impossible not to boo the man when he strode down the touchline in his bright red tracksuit clutching his pre match brew.
He snubbed the handshake of his former assistant John Dreyer and from then on Mr Westley's afternoon was only destined to deteriorate.
His team however were far more up to the challenge in the early stages against a very pedestrian home side, though saying that Hume should really have put the home side in front with a header at the back post.
Stevenage began to dominate although their efforts at the home goal were dreadful, corner flags were in more danger, eventually the home side upped the pressure and both Beavon and Hume hit the woodwork within the space of 10 seconds.
Stevenage also had a glorious chance to take the lead but following a bit of pinball in the North End area, Deacon's shot sailed safely over the bar.
The home side took the lead on the stroke of half time when Byrom made some space in the area following a corner and chipped the ball to Huntington who did the rest with his head. (1-0)
A far more open second half with chances at either end, Shroot for the visitors began to make his mark, one mazy run left defenders for dead, as he tried to set up a colleague however a brilliant Wright challenged saved the day.
North End nearly doubled the lead but Beavon's super volley was excellent one handed save by Day saved the visitors although not for long.
A fine move by Davies and Beavon led to Humphry's putting over an inch perfect cross for ex Stevenage player Laird to head home. (2-0)
North End started to play with freedom and started to get on top although Rudd had to make a great one handed save.
A third goal with six minutes to goal sealed the points again this was a quality goal, Beavon, Holmes , Laird combined to tee up Davies, he blasted the ball home from close range. (3-0)
Mr Westley was now being serenaded by the home fans, much to the delight of many, his side nearly scored with the last move of the game but Jones' header hit the bar.
Mr Westley didn't wait to greet his players he disappeared down the tunnel, refused to talk to the local journalists and probably left Deepdale for the last time never to be seen again by the home faithful.


Preston North End 3 Stevenage 0 Att 8855

Easy

186 people made the correct decision of not watching Roy’s overpaid players struggle to a draw against Ukraine, instead they were at the Giant Axe the ome of Lancaster City watching grass roots football.
The match apart from the first 10 minutes was decidedly one sided as Lancaster out footballed Prescot Cables to stroll to an easy 2-0 win.
Prescot fresh from a 7-1 victory over what appears to be a schizophrenic New Mills side(who won 4-1 on Monday Night) started brightly and fired in a couple of efforts which went close, but after the intial burst City began to take control.
Their passing game began to pick holes in the Cables defence, Elderton headed home from a right wing cross but was given offside, it wasn’t long before City did score, non existant marking from a corner led to Marshall heading home from close range. (1-0)
Kilfin and Taylor went close with efforts both after mazy dribbles but Cables managed to stagger on to half time with only a one goal deficit.
The second half was a procession, Taylor, Kilfin, Hunter all had chances to increase the lead as Prescot tried to stem the tide of the game, irony was the best chance of the half fell to Prescot but the No 6 screwed his shot horribly wide.
City ensured the points 7 minutes from time when substitute Winder zipped down the wing his cross was slid home by Mahoney from close range. (2-0)
And that was it.

Lancaster City 2 Prescot Cables 0 Att 186

Lucky ? not in the slightest!

There you go, classic case of win when playing like a bunch of strangers. As they say rather be a lucky winner than an unlucky loser. Oldham supporters probably woke up this morning with the "How did we lose that game feeling" Having dominated almost all of the game they lost 2-1.
Oldham started bightly outpassing the home side, they looked quicker to the ball, had movement and looked an excellent side, an early shot from Mills went wide, also had a string of early corner which were whipped in at pace but excellent keeping by Rudd kept them at bay.
Two early free kicks at the other end brought the first Preston goal. The second kick taken by Laird was flicked on by Beavon sending the Oldham custodian the wrong way. (1-0)
Oldham piled on the pressure and had a string of corners which the home side desperately kept out including a fine save by Rudd via defender and post to safety. The impressive Schemltz, and Smith ran the home side ragged but luckily for the home side they lacked someone with a real poacher's instinct.
Grayson made a change by swapping Laird to the left wing and in an instance the balance of the home side improved.
Would have been happy to take a one goal lead into half time, but instead we took a two goal lead into the break, from North End's only corner of the game Davies won a penalty following a push Wesolowski, looked a nailed on penalty until you saw it on TV.
Davies penalty was not for saving. (2-0)
Oldham started the second half with another flurry of corners, however North End should have increased the lead when following a fine move Beavon, played in Laird, should have buried it, it went past the far post. Minutes later Davies could have added another but his shot went slightly wide.
Play became a little more even, then with 7 minutes left from one of the many Oldham corners Tarkowski headed home. (2-1) North End hung on to take the points, a very entertaining game for the TV.
Yep we were lucky but the score was:-

Preston North End 2 Oldham Athletic 1 Att 10292