The Lads nipped over the Pennines to bring back another point from a game which was very short on composure from both sets of attackers, but which emphasised our defensive resilience - although it has to be said that Preston's shooting was on a par with QPR's. Another clean sheet and while we might not have scored, a point away from home is still promotion form - providing we win at home.
Having dodged the horrible accident on the M6, we crawled across the A59 and just had time for a brisk stroll to the Black Horse which was surprisingly quiet for a match day, with half of the customers being of a Red and White persuasion. Then came the team news - I was expecting a change, but not the ones we got.
Defending the goal in front of the 5,000 travelling fans, we lined up in the stripes:
Moore
Hume O'Nien Mepham Cirkin
Neil (c) Browne
Watson Rigg Isidor
Connolly
..and a bench of Blondy, Roberts, Mundle, Mayenda, Rusyn, Hjelde, Jones, Aleksic, and Ballard.
PNE set things away and we didn't get hold of the ball for more than a couple of passes in the opening minutes, with a break down our left producing a sitter that was duly missed after only a minute. Mepham then got an early yellow for a foul just outside the box but thankfully, and as a sign of things to come, the free kick was wasted.
A foul near halfway gave us the chance to catch our breath, which we did, and after the free kick came to nothing Rigg hit a great one over to Issy but when he drove into the box the shot hit the side netting. As we at last managed a bit of possession Watson was chopped down on halfway (yellow, I thought. Nowt, thought the ref) and the free kick brought us, after a bit of ping-pong in the box and a half (or quarter) hearted shout for handball, an eventual corner on the left. We didn't score (obviously) but at least and at last were looking settled.
That might have been true, but in the space of two minutes the home side missed the target with easy headers that should really have made Moore work. On the half hour their first corner forced a bit of head tennis before Luke flung himself in the way of a shot - let's just say every bloke in our end winced. After a bit of treatment our madman in chief did a passable impersonation of John Wayne as he traipsed off for the obligatory period. Blocking all over the world.
Consecutive body-checks on Watson and Rigg (anybody would think PNE were deliberately roughing up our youngest players) didn't bring a yellow, but after our corner was cleared we did see one go Preston's way for a boot in Rigg's face which not even this ref could ignore. Yet again we wasted the free kick, then two added minutes were announced in which Moore produced a very good save to slap a high shot from their left away for a corner. True to form, they hit the loose ball over my head - and I was 14 rows back.
0-0 at the break - I'll take that as we had strength on the bench, which I think half time speaker Ross Wallace alluded to.
No changes for the second half and cap'n Dan set us away as we persisted with Issy out wide, where he simply hadn't looked comfortable in the first half. As we were wondering if he'd find his mojo, he ran down the line, cut inside and started a great passing move which brought a corner on the left. That seemed to raise his confidence and the fans responded, roaring him on as he jinked down the inside left channel leaving defenders in his wake before he was tripped on the edge. Shamefully, we produced a free kick that would have brought jeers on a Sunday morning as Browne simply scooped it high and wide of the far post. Poor effort.
With PNE cleverly sharing the fouls so the ref couldn't claim persistent offending from any individual, Issy was clobbered again, before he got his run in the middle when Connolly and Watson were replaced by Roberts and Mundle. That's more like it, Reggie.
Despite making some silly errors at the back, we played a bit of decent football and a clever free-kick routine nearly brought rewards - but not nearly enough. Every time we looked like getting some fluidity into our game, there was another foul - I doubt if Roberts has been fouled as often in 25 minutes before, but it broke up our game. We had a couple of almost breaks, one when Issy was away again but ran out of either ideas, breath, or both, and another where we tried a first-time pass from the wing that found only their (equally large) replacement centre half. There were also a couple of runs towards the home box by Browne and Neil, but they were both crowded out, and a couple of Rigg flicks nearly brought a chance or two - but didn't.
We gave Mayenda a try in place of Issy on 85, and he charged about like he does, but didn't really have time to get into a fairly frantic game. Five added minutes were announced, and we in the Bill Shankly Stand screamed for the crucial goal as the Lads tried to get forward.
A Mundle cross dropped nicely for Roberts way beyond the far post, and his low volley was probably going just wide but the keeper pushed it behind just in case. The corner was only cleared as far as Neil 25 yards out, but his shot was way over, and that was that. I imagine that was a hard game to play in, as the effort needed to regain and retain the ball was immense, meaning that stringing passes together was difficult against a niggly and physical opposition.
Having say that, a point's a point and a clean sheet is something to be proud of, even if the home side would struggle to hit a cow's backside with a banjo and we failed to play with any sustained freedom of movement or fluency.
Man of the Match? It was nice to see Rigg back, and some of his backheels and flicks were a delight, although not all of them worked. One mistake and that poor shot aside, Neil had a good game but once again it was Luke at the back who organised, tackled, headed, blocked, and carried the ball out of harm's way.
PS: we're still top of the league. Ha!
