Impressive

Sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due, my personal view that this was Preston's best performance of the season by a country mile winning 2-0 at Coventry's cavernous Ricoh arena.
A crowd of 10000 saw North End dominate from beginning to end apart from brief flurries from the home side at the start and end of the second half. City barely got into the North End penalty area in a one sided first half, they had a smidgen of a chance just before half time but Clarke could not get to O'Brien's pass. Before then North End had shown their intent when full back Wiseman went on a mazy 40 yard run before losing the ball in the Coventry area. Humphrys was getting plenty of space in behind the Coventry back line however his crossing left a lot to be desired if North End had had a 30 ft tall forward to meet his centres they would have won easier.
Wright had already hit the bar when Humphrys clean through on goal was denied by a great last ditch tackle in the ensuing action North End could have been given two penalties for what looked like dodgy tackles.
Half time goalless and you just had that nagging feeling that Coventry might sneak the game. Early Coventry pressure was easily dealt with before the yellow tide swept towards the Coventry goal again. Haynes with a brilliant goal line clearance denied North End after Garner had beaten Webster with ease and Humphrys was poised to score. Haynes then went from hero to villain within minutes, pulling Humphrys back, getting booked and from Gallagher's free kick Clarke scored.
Five minutes later it was game over as Garner was brought down, he scored the resultant spot kick.
Fair play to Coventry three attacking substitutes were made, they made little difference only a Clarke effort which went horribly wide in injury time was the closest they came.

Coventry City 0 Preston North End 2 Att 10006

Workmanlike

In the end a workmanlike victory for North End over a very ordinary Crawley Town. Grayson kept the same side that lobbed a three goal lead away on Tuesday against Chesterfield. A bright start with shots from Brownhill for North End and Williams for Crawly going close before the game settled down into a dour encounter with not a lot to excite the 10330 crowd. On 20 minutes Garner was denied by a flying save by Ashdown in the Crawley goal. The resultant corner however did end up in the Crawley net, Browne's pass found Wright who side footed home from 12 yards. Within minutes Crawley could have levelled as Gallagher headed against the underside of his own cross bar before the ball was cleared by the home defence to safety. It was the last highlight for Crawley. Hayhurst and Browne both had great chances to increase the lead both were spurned.
An early Gallagher shot went close before it was back to a midfield struggle. As with Tuesday the eary stages of the second half were a bit niggly but the flashing of the yellow card in a few faces cooled the game down.
Nortn End dominated possession but did little with it going sideways and backwards at snails pace. Eventually Gallagher shrugged off a challenge from Williams before putting a cross in , the ball was handled. Garner did the rest from the spot.
Game over, Williams went close with a late attack for the visitors but there afternoon was summed up by a late McLeod overhead shot which went out for a throw in.
North End eased to the points against a decidedly average Crawley side. Crawley's supporters of less than 100 will have a long journey home with the knowledge that John Gregory will not be taking them to promotion.


Preston North End 2 Crawley Town 0 ATT 10330

Could not hit the target

A fine late summer's evening saw Fleetwood and Barnsley play out a goalless draw in front of 3500 at the Highbury Stadium including a decent 850 from Yorkshire.
Although goalless both sides had plenty of shots at goal although sadly not a lot were on target. One that was, was early effort from the home sides Evans however he was denied by a decent save by Davies in the Tykes goal.
Fleetwood dominated a very lacklustre visitors attempts from Blair, Morris and Dobbie had Davies performing heroics to keep them out. Little was seen of the Yorkshire sides attack until 10 minutes before half time when Jennings was denied by Maxwell, on reflection he should have score. It was easy to see why Bayern Munich paid a million pounds for him, although a little podgy and injury prone he is a decent player.
Barnsley up the ante in the second half and it was their turn to miss from various distances, Cole and Jennings being the main culprit. They were presented with a great chance when a Cole shot was parried, Hemmings should have scored he didn't.
The introduction of Ball for the home side, had a shot saved and was inches away of converting a Proctor cross.
A dubious free kick 10 minutes from time saw Morris hit the Barnsley bar with the resulting kick. However, ex Premiership striker Leroy Lita summed up both teams inability to score. 10 yards out he put his shot over the bar, over the Percy Ronson stand and into the council houses behind the ground, they probably won't get the ball back.
To be fair to Lita, when playing in the top league he probably never thought he would be a substitute in a league one match in Fleetwood on a Wednesday night.
One thing about watching football in the land of the Cod is the lack of atmosphere on the ground, a funeral service is bouncing compared to Highbury.


Fleetwood Town 0 Barnsley 0 Att 3500

Thrown away

Three up after 28 minutes and cruising, spend the next 66 minutes frantically trying to defend a three goal lead and failing is up there with one of the better Preston balls up.
Goals by Browne, Garner and Brownhill had put North End in charge against visitors Chesterfield by the half hour mark, two headers and a comedy goalkeeping error goal should have meant three points for the home side, but no.
Six minutes gone Browne stole in unmarked to head home a Hayhurst cross. Nine minutes later Chesterfield keeper Lee went walkabout Garner took his time and scored.
On 28 minutes Brownhill nodded home from close range after some canny play kept the ball in play when Chesterfield were down to 10 due to an injury.
Doyle had so nearly scored but just failed to get on the end of a good team move.
He made amends on 31 minutes when chipping the ball past Jones. North End were pinned back for the rest of the half and could barely get out of the penalty area. Boco should have reduced the arrears further firing over from close range after a Doyle flick.
Second half North End forced back same scenario as the later part of the first half, O'Shea should have done better withb a chance but North End held out quite well. Outbreaks of hand bags occured but North End seemed to have survived until 11 minutes from time when Doyle slid in at the back post to make it 3-2. King almost presented Gnaduillet with a chance but a great block by Wright kept the scores level.
Then the pivotal moment of the game, great cross by Preston winger Reid, bullet header from Garner, super save by Lee, minutes later Garner had a numpty moment handled the ball in his own area from a corner, penalty, Doyle duly completed his second hat trick in four days. Six minutes of injury time failed to produce a winner and the home fans frustration at the side is beginning to grow.

Preston North End 3 Chesterfield 3 Att 8399

Bamber Bridge 2 Squires Gate 2

Bamber Bridge and Squires Gate drew their FA Cup match 2-2 in front of 264 at Bamber Bridge's Sir Tom Finney Stadium. Only Bridge will know how they did not win this match having missed more than enough chances to win three or four games, but credit were credit is due Gate kept plugging away with a never say die attitude which eventually gave them a draw.
Bridge from the division above are a rather physical side who have a simple approach, get it behind the opponents back four with long balls(hoofs). It worked a treat for most of the match however in the first half they were denied by Fletcher in the Gate goal who pulled off three excellent saves.
Eventually Bridge took the lead when Gate failed to clear a corner and Bell rifled the ball home. The goal gave the home side confidence and they pushed on for more goals but after 34 minutes Gate equalised. Little had been seen of the Gate forward line until full back Richards got the ball 40 yards out and unleashed an unstoppable shot past Dovey in the home goal. Soon after McKenna tried his luck with another effort from distance for Gate and this went narrowly over the bar.
Second half Bridge controlled going close several times before they were awarded a penalty for a clumsy foul in the box. Bell sent the keeper the wrong way sadly though for the guy stood 10 yards to the right of the goal, the ball cleaned his pint out of his hand.
Bridge began to lose their way and were now just aimlessly booting the ball down field. 
Seven minutes left and Bridge took a deserved lead with Bell firing home from a corner. It looked the winning goal until out of the blue again McKendrick fired home a 2nd goal for Gate to taken the game to a replay on Tuesday.

Bamber Bridge 2 Squires Gate 2 Att 264


http://youtu.be/rizS-PQngLk


http://youtu.be/dH_YOnMcYl8

Paint pot win

A much changed Preston side duly beat an also slightly understrength Shrewsbury side in the first round of the JPT at Deepdale in front of a decent 4000 gate.
North End without players due to international call ups started well and were passing the ball about with some finese and had one early chance with a Laird header just saved by Leutwiler. 
After an entertaining 10 minutes the game started to resemble a pre season friendly, lots of nice football which went absolutely nowhere, just before half time the torpor was broken when North End were awarded a free kick, the free kick came to nothing but the referee used the spray to mark 10 yard for the first time on the historic Deepdale turf. By half time Shrewsbury were ahead by 2 sprays to one, leading to the question, do away sprays count double?
The second half was slightly better as both teams were more attacking and after 57 minutes North End scored what proved to be the winning goal.
Woods persistance down the right hand side saw him square the ball across the face of the goal for Hugill to beat his marker and score.
The Shrews struck back with Akpa Akpro bringing a good save from the largely under employed Stuckmann. Shrewsbury brought on Collins and Vernon to beef up their attack but apart from a couple of scrambles in the Preston goalmouth and a Collins shot, North End were not really tested at the back.
Browne and Garner should have scored at the end but it didn't really matter North End were in the pot for the next round.

Preston North End 1 Shrewsbury TOWN 0 Att 4005