| RESULT | 4 - 0 to the Lilywhites. |
| TEAM |
Robinson, Watson, Whelan, Shepheard Beauchamp, Tait, Murphy, Powell Jemson, Cook |
| SUBS | Fear (for Shepheard, 70)
Anthrobus, Folland, Knight, Lilley (not used) |
| GOALS | 0-1 MACKEN (16) - Oxford couldn't deal
with a dubious free kick near the corner flag, and Macken headed home.
0-2 MACKEN (50) - Macken turned superbly in the area, losing his marker, and shooting home. Good goal. 0-3 EYRES (73) - Another dubious Eyres free-kick - the 25 yard shot hit Watson and Lundin was left wrong-footed. 0-4 APPLETON (90) - Lundin seemed to completely ignore Appleton's long-range shot. |
| PERFORMANCE | We played for a 20 minute spell late in the first half. Otherwise the team was hapless to a man. |
| MAN OF MATCH | Nobody deserved this accolade. Jemmo came closest for his first half display. |
| BOOKINGS | Mark WATSON (72) - Foul. Or rather not a foul. And the free-kick for
this led to the third goal.
Phil WHELAN (87) - Dissent. His running battle with Steve Basham spilled over into anger. |
| ATTENDANCE | 5,164 - Quite a low crowd, including surprisingly few from high-flying Preston. |
| REFEREE | A N Butler (Sutton-in-Ashfield) - Terrible. Quite simply, he didn't have a clue. |
| REPORTS | Oxford sites
From The Terrace ("All pants on the Preston Front")Preston sites Official SiteFootball sites Football 365 ("Preston promotion push continues")Newspapers Express |
U's hammered at home!
Another home defeat mounted more problems on Oxford, as high
flying Preston picked up a 4-0
win at the Manor Ground tonight.
It was the home side who created the first real chance of the
game within the first ten minutes, but
Joey Beauchamp's effort forced a fine save from Tepi Moilanen.
Beauchamp was played through by Jamie Cook's pass, but his well
struck shot was tipped over
the bar by the big keeper.
The visitors though showed their ability in front of goal when
they broke the deadlock on 15
minutes through Jon Macken.
David Eyres' free kick set up the chance, Steve Basham headed
the ball on and Macken was their
to finish from close range.
Graham Alexander then denied Oxford from getting back on level
terms soon after, when he
cleared Matt Murphy's shot off the line after a scramble in
the Preston area.
David Eyres fine striker forced an equally fine, flying save
from the U's keeper Paul Lundin.
Near the end of the first half David Moyes' side must of thought
they would go into the break two
up but another goalline clearance, this time from Oxford, kept
it at 1-0.
Colin Murdoch's header was goalbound, but Phil Whelan got back
on the line to clear the ball to
safety for the home side.
Half time 0-1.
It was Preston who took a grip of the game early in the second
half, with Macken getting his
second goal on 50 minutes.
Alexander's cross was touched on by Jackson, and Macken controlled
before shooting home in
one motion giving Lundin no chance.
Midway through the half, the ever impressive David Eyres nearly
made it three but his well struck
effort brought the best out of Lundin again.
But Eyres was not to be denied, and the former Burnley man struck
one of his trademark free
kicks on 74 minutes to extend the visitors advantage.
Oxford's fate was sealed in injury time, when Michael Appleton
hit another spectacular long range
effort into the bottom corner to make the final score 4-0.
This page is maintained by James Beard.