Preston 1 Burnley 0

By Longsider
April 17 2005

Press reports from our game at Preston North End yesterday. We have reports from the Sunday Observer, Sunday People and the Sporting Life.

Alexander spot on as penalty drama leaves Burnley fuming
The Observer

Preston maintained their push for the play-offs in a hard-fought, highly charged local derby, but their winner came from a controversial penalty. Mid-table before Christmas, Preston's run of just one defeat in 12 matches has seen them rise to fifth place and they are now genuine promotion contenders. Although they enjoyed more possession overall here, especially in the second half when they dominated for long periods, they failed to carve out many clear chances and Burnley looked relatively comfortable.

Then came the decision that changed the match. Eddie Lewis, Preston's most creative player, broke down the left, but Burnley left-back Lee Roche got in front of him and looked to be shielding the ball safely out for a goal-kick, with Lewis reaching from behind in one last attempt to keep the ball in play. With both players virtually off the pitch, referee Graham Laws judged Roche to have been pushing Lewis and pointed to the spot, to the dismay of the Burnley players, who appealed in vain. Graham Alexander stepped up to fire the ball into the roof of the net for his sixth goal of the season and his fourth from the spot. Burnley manager Steve Cotterill was furious when the decision was awarded, and ran across the pitch at the end to talk to the referee. He could not hide his frustration afterwards, either. 'It was not a penalty,' he said. 'The player was off the pitch and I can't support that decision. I'm sure you're going to ask me what I said to the referee afterwards. I told him I supported his decision the other week when he called off our game against Leicester, but I can't support that decision. 'The first thing Billy Davies [the Preston manager] said to me afterwards was that it wasn't a penalty. I'm sure if it had been at the other end in front of our fans, he would have given a goal-kick.'

Cotterill was unable to field his new £600,000 signing from Stoke, Ade Akinbiyi, because of a thigh strain and he must now pick up his side in time for next week's FA Cup fifth round replay against local rivals Blackburn. He said: 'In the home game against Preston, Robbie Blake scored from a free-kick that never was so I suppose it evens itself out, but I can't believe I'm still smiling. We just have to lick our wounds and look forward to another small match on Tuesday.' Davies said: 'We were obviously looking for the penalty, but it was a soft one, I admit. I thought Alexander showed a lot of bottle under pressure to put it away. He works after training every day on his penalties and it shows. 'Let's not forget about our performance in the second half, when we enjoyed a lot of pressure. I think overall we deserved it. 'We have to forget about league position now. We know what we have to do and we have to concentrate on that. It was a very professional performance from us in the second half to keep grinding away. The players really turned on the heat and the pressure.' He added: 'I always knew it was going to be a scrappy 1-0 affair. Burnley are a side who can soak up the pressure and then go and attack you.'

 

Preston 1 Burnley 0

Sporting Life
Preston left it late but Graham Alexander's penalty finally earned them three points in the Lancashire derby with stubborn Burnley at Deepdale.

North End squandered chance after chance and the Clarets, who travel to Blackburn for an FA Cup fifth round replay on Tuesday, looked like holding on for a trademark clean sheet before Alexander broke the deadlock with eight minutes remaining.

Following a drab and shot-shy first-half, the hosts came to life after the break, showing plenty of the endeavour that has catapulted them into play-off contention but, with David Nugent particularly culpable, a host of opportunities went begging.

However, Alexander's sixth goal of the season, as well as results going their way elsewhere, kept Preston firmly in the hunt for a top-six place.

Given the intense rivalry between the two clubs, it was an understandably scrappy opening, with neither goalkeeper tested in the early stages.

There was no place in the Burnley squad for new signing Ade Akinbiyi, who joined from Stoke for £600,000 this week but is struggling with a thigh problem.

Burnley manager Steve Cotterill's problems in the striking department were further emphasised by the appearance of 16-year-old apprentice Cayne Hanley on a bench that also included coach Mark Yates.

Despite their selection problems, it was the visitors that had the first real opportunity to break the deadlock but Jean-Louis Valois, who was on target in the 1-1 midweek draw at Derby, could only head straight at North End goalkeeper Chris Day after making good contact with John Oster's cross.

Alexander had already shot well off target for the hosts and midway through the first half, North End top-scorer Richard Cresswell got his first opportunity but failed to add to his tally of 16 goals, volleying over from inside the area.

Callum Davidson also had a shot blocked by Burnley defender Gary Cahill, and Chris Sedgwick charged down Peter Whittingham's 25-yard strike at the other end.

Nugent has made a major impact at Deepdale in recent weeks and after a quiet first-half began to fire after the interval.

The 19-year-old, who joined from League Two club Bury last month, hit a perfect cross for Paul McKenna, who was only thwarted by Brian Jensen, and soon after saw an effort cannon away off Graham Branch.

Davidson headed wide from a cross from Alexander, who then saw a powerful 25-yard strike held by Jensen, while Nugent and Cresswell were off-target from a similar distance, as Billy Davies' side piled on the pressure.

Cotterill's men still offered the occasional threat and North End skipper Chris Lucketti had to be alert to get in the way of a close-range Ian Moore header.

Nugent then shot over from a whipped Eddie Lewis free-kick but it mattered little when Lee Roche was ruled to have dragged Lewis over in the area.

Burnley were incensed but Alexander hammered the spot-kick into the top right corner of Jensen's net to give his team a deserved lead, which Cresswell came close to doubling with a header.

But stretching their run to just one defeat in 12 league matches, as well as avenging their 2-0 defeat at Turf Moor earlier in the season, North End will be more than satisfied.

Teams

Preston: Day, Alexander (Davis 90), Lucketti, Mawene, Davidson, Sedgwick, McKenna, O'Neil, Lewis, Nugent, Cresswell (Agyemang 90).

Subs Not Used: Hill, Etuhu, Smith.

Booked: Cresswell.

Goals: Alexander 82 pen.

Burnley: Jensen, Roche, Cahill, Duff, Camara, Oster, Grant, Branch, Whittingham, Valois, Moore.

Subs Not Used: Coyne, Pilkington, Scott, Yates, Hanley.

Booked: Roche, Camara.

Att: 18,202

Ref: G Laws (Tyne & Wear).

ALEXICECOOL AS COTTERILL GOES S POTTY

Feb 27 2005

Preston 1 Burnley 0

Alan Nixon

People

GRAHAM ALEXANDER fired Preston closer to their promotion dream as this Lancashire hotpot was brought to the boil by referee Graham Laws. North End were given a disputed 82nd-minute penalty by Laws, who reckoned Lee Roche had pushed over flying winger Eddie Lewis inches inside the box. Burnley boss Steve Cotterill was rightly fuming and had a long argument with the fourth official. Alexander thrashed home the spot-kick to put Preston up to fifth place - and Billy Davies's boys deserved the points after enjoying the majority of possession and chances. Right-back Alexander had been at the centre of an earlier penalty shout in a rare Burnley raid, so Preston had their fair share of luck. However Davies's men had been the more positive side and showed more desire. Burnley's Frenchman Jean-Louis Valois had a good chance from a header after Tony Grant chipped a through-pass, but his effort was weak and too straight. Preston had more attacking ideas and Brian Jensen made a fine save from Richard Cresswell with his legs as well as taking a handful of good crosses. But the Danish keeper should have had no chance when Cresswell ballooned over an open goal after he blocked David Nugent's shot with his face. Cresswell was booked for chopping down Michael Duff, while Roche joined him for a cynical trip that grounded Lewis. Preston kept pressing on and Paul McKenna's guided header was saved on the line by Jensen. Nugent was given a great chance by Chris Sedgwick but Gary Cahill hacked clear after the shot slipped past Jensen. Cahill was the hero again when he stopped Cresswell nodding in a clever cutback by Callum Davidson as the pressure grew. Preston extended their run to just one defeat in 12 games even though McKenna had a goal disallowed for a handball, while Cresswell's late header was scraped off the line by Cahill. PRESTON: Day 6 - Alexander 6 (Davies 89mins), *MAWENE 8, Lucketti 6, Davidson 7 - Sedgwick 6, McKenna 7, O''Neil 7, Lewis 7 - Cresswell 7 (Agyemang 90mins), Nugent 7. BURNLEY: Jensen 7 - Roche 6, Cahill 7, Duff 7, Camara 6 - Oster 6, Branch 6, Grant 7, Whittingham 6, *VALOIS 8 - Moore 6. Ref: G.Laws 5.