Game 44 Dropped points

On any other night Cheltenham would have won this game by a couple of goals, however they didn't sharing the points in a 1-1 draw with the home side. Cheltenham dominated vast periods of the game and only superb goalkeeping by Fleetwood's stopper Davies saved the day.
The first half was almost all one way towards the Fleetwood goal. The Robins played some good passing footward with Benson, Deering and Pack dominating the game.
The only surprise was that it took the visitors 24 minutes to take the lead, having gone close through Deering, Pack finnaly scored from outside the box following a corner. (0-1)
Davies then denied Taylor with a super save after a fine following move. Carter was then unlucky to see his curling shot go inches wide.
On half time in a rare attacking move Brown saved a close range effort from Fontaine.
Fleetwood made a change bringing on Parkin and the well built forward put in a super cross which Gillespie failed to convert. Cheltenham began to press again and Benson was denied by the best save of the night by Davies, pushing away the close range effort one handed.
The introduction of Junior Brown sparked further improvement in the home side and it was Brown who headed past his namesake in the Cheltenham goal to level the score. (1-1)
The goal sparked Cheltenham back into attacking mode however they lacked the cutting edge to take the points.


Fleetwood Town 1 Cheltenham Town 1 Att 2031

Game 41 Yawn

Lancaster City completed a quick seven day league double over lowly Ossett Albion at the Giant Axe ground in Lancaster with a solitary goal from Lee Dodgson after 69 minutes.
It was a game that will not live in the memory for the 164 hardy souls who saw little action in a very poor game of football.
The visitors twice in a dull first half should really have taken the lead, Muller first denied in a one on one with keeper McDonald and the second on the verge of half time came from the best move of the match when a superb Tonks cross, was excellently headed towards the goal by Muller who was denied by a fantastic one handed save by the home keeper.
Lancaster offered little threat in the first period.
City took the lead when Green cut in towards the by line, crossed to the far post where Dodgson headed home. (1-0)
Taylor of Lancaster had a goal disallowed shortly afterwards because he was offside and that was the sum total of entertainment for the second half.
Dull it certainly was but it is three points.

Lancaster City 1 Ossett Albion 0 Att 164

Ossett corner about to be fumbled by City keeper McDonald

Game 40 We used to win at home

It's now 12 home league games without a home win the longest in the clubs history, although to be fair the run should have ended today, however 3 decent chances were spurned in the second half which would have given Preston victory as it was a late penalty gave Shrewsbury the points.
A first half of direct football threatened to be one of the most tedious halves in the history of the game, the ball being propelled into outer space on a regular basis, efforts on goal were as rare as hen's teeth with McAllister header for the visitors half way through the half being the only save either keeper had to make.
North End took the lead on the stroke of half time when Beavon blasted home from 30 yards, a goal out of context with anything that had happened in the first half. (1-0)
Neither side looked remotely like scoring in the 2nd half as the tedium returned apart from a Holmes shot which was well saved by Weale in the Shrews goal. Against the run of play the Shrews levelled, ex North Ender was left unmarked, he pulled the ball back to Taylor whose powerful drive from 18 yards found the back of the net.(1-1)
The goal actually spurred the home side on and for a few minutes they actually began to play some decent football and with they created chances Cummings being unlucky to have a shot cleared from the line and then Holmes weaved his way through the Shrews defence and curled his shot over the bar, it should have gone.
Cummings again missed a good chances as both sides began to settle for a point until Morgan, Shrewsbury's gangly forward wormed his way into the home defence. Davies mistimed his tackle and sadly it was a penalty. Richards did the rest and away went the Shrews with the points.
A relegation battle looms for the home side, under the clueless direction from the sidelines this is going to be tough to escape.

Preston North End 1 Shrewsbury Town 2 Att 8331

Game 39 Wacky

Another weird and wacky afternoon at Deepdale, first bit of wackiness was the team selected by Westley, six changes from the last home game abject surrender, he gave a debut to 17 year old youth centre back Ben Davies and then played him at left back!!!!!!!!
Then there was the pitch, all grass seemed to have disappeared from the surface, what was left seemed to be dried mud.
Then there was the game, they typical game of two halves, Coventry should have had the points sewn up by half time, but the second half it was the home side who looked more likely.
Coventry dominated from the off and looked like they could score when ever they wanted, Baker on the wing given acres of space every time Coventry attacked. Two fine saves by Stuckmann kept the home side in it, although King had had a header cleared from the line by a Coventry defender.
Against the run of play the home side took the lead, a fine cross field pass by Davies found Holmes whose over hit cross found Monakana, a bit of quality from the winger, ball into the six yards box and Cummings finished off the chance easily. (1-0)
For a few minutes North End played with a bit of confidence, then City equalised, a cross from the left found Leon Clarke who turned hid defender and scored with ease. (1-1)
All Coventry again as the impressive Baker hit the home post, but the home side managed to get to half time level and whatever Westley said to the players obviously worked because there was only one side in it in the second half.
Coventry gave away a needless corner in the first 30 seconds and that set the tone for their second half performance, North End were on the front foot, but as is the way Coventry re took the lead, Baker again caused chaos down the right hand side, getting into the area far too easily, his cross was majestically placed by his own keeper by Robertson. (1-2)
To give the home side credit, this setback spurred them on and just as the Coventry fans were sing, 'Your'e not singing anymore' North End equalised, another super cross from Davies was headed on by King into the path of Nicky Wroe who didn't miss. (2-2)
All North End as they piled forward, they really should have been in front as first Robertson and then Cummings missed great chances to take the lead, both were spurned.
As the game drifted towards the end North End had one last chance with a free kick at the very end of the game Coventry survived only just though.

Preston North End 2 Coventry City 2 Att 8474

Game 38 Taxi for Westley

As predictable as snow and ice in winter Preston slumped to yet another home defeat at the hands of Walsall. The 9823 who attended the family fun day to mark Graham Westley's first year as a manger of Preston will not be returning in droves after this shocker of a performance.
Once Brandy had opened the scoring for the visitors in the 18th minute, there was going to be only one winner.
North End had already had two warnings in the opening minutes but giant keeper Stuckmann had already made two great saves to keep the home side level. A Wroe shot at the other end was well saved by McLoughlin in the Walsall net.
The home side were unlucky in the 17th minute when Beavon squirmed free and squared the ball towards Garner who had the simple task of putting the ball in the net, well he would have done if he hadn't been pulled down by a defender, nothing was given, astonishing decision. To add insult to injury within a minute the Saddlers were ahead. Grigg easily dispossessed Foster at the edge of the box before squaring the ball to Brandy who scored from close range. (0-1)
Baxendale had two chances to increase the lead, he should have scored the first when he had plenty of time to lob the ball over the keeper but put it wide, thenalso narrowly missed with a 20 yards shot.
The second was soon to arrive, when Chambers cross was easily headed into the net by Downing. (0-2)
A Holmes shot went narrowly wide just on half time for the home side but that did nothing to lift the gloom.
An early shout for a Walsall penalty in the second half turned down but a third goal was soon to arrive following another Foster error, Grigg benefitting from the error squared the ball to Baxendale to hammer home the third. (0-3)
This was the sign for quite a few home supporters to head for the exit zone and to be honest who could blame them.
A great save from a Holmes free kick by McLoughlin kept out the home side, but Walsall always looked like catching the robotic home side out and Grigg really should have done better after more awful defending.
Deep in injury time Wright headed home a consolation, the ironic cheers summed the mood up of the home fans. (1-3)
As I said this game was a celebration to mark Westley's first anniversary, he should receive a card with a P45 in it.

Preston North End 1 Walsall 3 Att 9823

Game 37 All square

Lancaster City and Warrington Town shared the goals and points in a fairly lifeless encounter at the Giant Axe in Lancaster this afternoon.
Compared to last Saturday’s excellent performance at Burscough, City were extremely slowly getting started, they had had a narrowly escape when the Wires took the lead in the 13th minute McLachlan, whose tame shot dribbled past a host of play before crossing the line. (0-1)
Wires dominated the early stages although both sides spent the vast majority of the time sending the ball skywards, it took City about 30 minutes to finally get into gear and they almost fluked an equaliser when Hudson’s cross landed on the top of the crossbar before bouncing behind for a goal kick.
They came closer minutes later when Green curling lob from 15 yards was tipped superbly round the post by Wires keeper Robertson.
City were better in the second half and were finding space down either wing creating problems for the Wires defenc. They levelled the scores on 57 minutes when the ball fell invitingly at Swarbrick’s feet 25 yards out. His first time volley flew into the net, Robertson having no chance. (1-1)
The goal woke Warrington from their slumbers coming more into the game, however scoring chances were at a premium, as the temperature started to dip, so did the game.
Warrington should have snatched the points in the final minutes but when well placed a Wires player missed the target from 15 yards.

Lancaster Citry 1 Warrington Town 1 Att 183

Game 36 Convincing win

Lancaster City’s 4-1 victory at Burscough’s Victoria ground has to go down as one of their best performances of the season. Goals by Swarbrick 2, Green and Kilfin gave the scoreline an emphatic ring although it has to be added the home side hit the woodwork 3 times.
City got off to the best possible start scoring with their first attack, from Simpson’s cross the ball landed at the feet of Swarbrick who made no mistake from 10 yards. (0-1)
City then dominated proceeding, should have added more but twice spurned great chances when Kilfin couldn’t properly get the ball under control and then the same player failed to make contact with a great cross from Simpson.
The home side battled back and the old fashioned centre forward Cummins hammered a shot against the post and a free kick for the left hit the bar, you began to suspect it was to be City’s day.
Just after the half hour Burscough on the play deservedly leveled when Cummins found himself in space and found the net with ease.
Burscough piled on the pressure but on the stroke of half time City re took the lead, Swarbrick broke loose and should really have scored however he lost the ball, but the ball arrived 25 yards out at the feet of Green who looked curled the ball majestically into the Burscough net. (1-2)
Apart from an early Burscough header which went narrowly wide, the early stages of the second half were confined mainly to midfield.
Halfway through the half City added a third from a corner as Kilfin scambled the ball home from close range. (1-3)
Burscough rallied and again hit the woodwork for 25 yards as they went for broke.
City sealed the win five minutes from when Green broke away down the left squared the ball to Swarbrick who blitzed the ball into the net. (1-4)
City had chances for more goals but you can’t be greedy, top performance for the Blues.

Burscough 1 Lancaster City 4 Att 205

Top picture Darren Green nearest camera

Second picture City attacking