PMS: Town 2-1 Preston
By Sadie
October 7 2007
After a week off Sadie is back again giving us her own unique look at Town's games, today get her view on Town's 2-1 win against Preston yesterday.

Ipswich Town line up with Alexander, Wright, Wilnis, De Vos, Harding, Walters, Miller, Garvan, Clarke, Counago and Lee on the bench is Supple, Bruce, Legwinski, Roberts and Haynes.

Preston North End bring along Andy Lonergan, Callum Davidson, Danny Pugh, Youl Mawene, Chris Sedgwick, Karl Hawley, Paul Gallagher, Darren Carter, Liam Chilvers, Billy Jones and Kevin Nicholls with Patrick Agyemang, Sean St Ledger, Simon Whaley, Chris Neal and on the bench.

Town kick off the match but within the 1st minute play is stopped for a free kick to the visitors in their own half, the ball is played up into the Town box but just out of reach for Gallagher.

Walters decides to try out his gymnastics, with the help of an opponent his hand stand gets the score of 9.8, but the slacking can't last as De Vos has to defend Hawley, and does so pretty well.

The 3rd minute saw yet another sport on pitch this time its Gallagher doing the kung fu near the Town box.

Football occurs in the 4th minute at the feet of Walters crossing into the Preston box but caught well from the Preston keeper Lonergan.

A swirling vortex appears on my paper and De Vos clears well with his head.

Counago is having fun with the Preston defence but once again Lonergan butts in ruining Towns party.

10 minutes gone Alexander is being a very dodgy keeper passing the ball across the town box to Wilnis luckily the ball passes across before Gallagher comes sliding in.

The roles reverse 2 minutes later when its Wilnis causing the scare, with Hawley on him, his pass to Alexander is a poor one, however Alexander is quicker to respond than Hawley.

Alexander sets play for a Town attack, with Walters on goal Lonergan once again pulls off a top save.

In the 14th minute Harding works well on the wing and takes it up, his efforts win Town a corner which Garvan Takes, De Vos jumps for the incoming ball and heads perfectly to goal, Lonergan saves AGAIN! At this point I can't see Town getting past the Preston goalkeeper.

Quarter of an hour is played when Lee receives an arm around the neck for which a free kick is awarded to the right of the Preston box Lonergan intercepts hitting the ball away from danger.

18 minutes, Nicholls is putting Garvan under pressure but Garvan manages to keep the ball, momentarily anyway.

Wilnis is back on the ball so to speak a minute later with some top defending against Hawley then in the 20th minute Garvan is shoved over on a goal run but nothing is given.

A chance for the visitors goes astray in the 21st minute when Gallagher crosses the ball too far, but they are given a free kick against Harding for, urm, being on the pitch maybe, but the free kick is as good as a snowsuit in the dessert.

Wilnis gets lucky when he swings Gallagher around him but it is not spotted then soon after that Town are the ones with the free kick, but Clarke heads wide.

Counago is denied twice in quick succession in the 25th minute leaving Town with a corner from which Town come close another 3 times, but not close enough.

Wright tries on is striking boots in the 28th minute, he shouldn't he really shouldn't.

Half an hour and Preston have a free kick, Alexander comes out and the defence head over for a Preston corner, Wilnis defends and puts an end to and visiting chance.

Davidson earns himself a yellow from an incident with Counago, I say incident because I can't be sure whether it was a foul, or Counago just being Counago.

Soon after Gallagher is given a warning against his aggressive play and Town play up, a moment in time seems to pass me by and when I come round I see a diving head from Lee and Town going a goal up, well, that was unexpected. 1-0 to Town.

35 minutes and I'm still a little dazed, something confusing happens in the Town defence between Wilnis and Alexander again almost resulting in a Wilnis own goal, the Town fans are far from happy with what they have just seen.

De Vos is being the reliable skipper he is becoming with some brilliant defending, heading out of the box to the also reliable feet of Walters who sends the ball up field, it doesn't stay there though.

De Vos kick the ball for the 1st time in the match I think, he has been on the ball a lot but it has all been with his head and the fans sing for England on account of us beating the Aussies in the Rugby!

1 minute is added to the end of the 1st half during which most control and attack is with Preston, however the two teams go in half time with Town leading the match 1-0.
Lonergan is right on target before the 2nd half kicks off when clearing his practice ball off of the pitch it slams Billy Jones right in the middle of his number 19, he swings round aggressively but when his keeper apologises Jones finds the funny side, probably planning on how to get him back in the changing room.

As Preston re-start the match the pitch and ground seems unusually quiet, maybe I had a moment of deafness, who knows.

In the 47th minute Walters is creating chances again, putting the ball into the Preston box to Clarke, the defence is sharper than Clarke and the moment passes.

Clarke for some reason is defending in the 49th minute, and is the only one doing so, a Preston corner goes astray giving Walters another opportunity to make his move supported by Wright and Counago, the trio connect well but despite Walters getting a shot through the defence Lonergan is certainly doing his job.

(It is becoming very difficult to do this match report)

Gallagher is booked (At least I think it was Gallagher) for a foul on Walters and the Town free kick gives Town another chance to get the ball toward the target, Mawene is determined not to let that happen taking the ball out of Millers control and out for a corner. The corner becomes 2 corners, De Vos meets the 2nd with his head but a free kick is given the opposite way.

After a spell of possession Preston have a corner in the 57th minute, Wilnis defends for a 2nd visiting corner, two turns to three then the third corner ball just seems to float through everyone and out for a goal kick.

Agyemang replaces Gallagher for Preston in the 59th minute.

In the 61st minute Walters manages to run Agyemang off of the ball giving away the ball for a Preston throw, from the throw Town win possession but create nothing.

Clarke hits the post for a second time in this match in the 62nd minute, this is almost as big of a tease as an N****ch fan with a kick me sign on his back.

64 minutes gone, Nicholls is hassling Lee and gives away a free kick, Garvan's kick is poor but Town then go on to have 2 corners before Lonergan claims the ball.

Preston made their 2nd substitution in the 67th minute with Whaley replacing Carter.

Town are attacking again in the 69th minute, Counago on the right of the Preston box sends in a rather lame kick, but still only just misses the target.

Both Pugh and Mawene are defending tight on Counago but Counago manages to get turn and get free. Soon after Roberts replaces a hard worked Clarke.
Counago and Miller manage to create something special in the 73rd minute putting Town 2 goals ahead and it looks like the duo can't be happier to have produced it together.

In the 75th minute Preston's last change came with Mellor replacing Hawley.

In the 78th minute all play is with Preston, although it is slow moving with Town you never know so it could be dangerous, and Mawene comes closest out of the visitors.

Counago was replaced by Haynes in the 79th minutes before Preston regain possession and De Vos fails to block Agyemang.

Out of nowhere Haynes comes alive in the 84th minute forcing a good save from Lonergan, but then in the 86th minute as play is with Preston in the Town box, for a reason unknown and invisible to me a penalty is awarded to the visitors, Mellor takes and scores. Its 2-1 and the last 5 minutes are going to be very tense.

Well after the goal it all goes mad and I can't keep up, Town are desperate to seal it and Preston are desperate to salvage a point, but one point I could catch up with was a Town free kick, whilst waiting for it to be taken Sedgwick kicks the ball away then points to the ball and claims to referee Mick Russell claiming that Town kicked it away and are time wasting. HUH?!

5 minutes is added onto the end of the match, not quite sure what for but hey that gives us 5 more minutes to scream and shout and go home with sore throats.

During the 5 added minutes, Haynes is pulled down in the Preston box and a free kick is given to Preston, obviously. Agyemang manages to get past De Vos again and the only one who can stop him is Harding! I seem surprised? I am. Thankfully De Vos sorts it out when it counts intercepting from Agyemang right in front of goal. Roberts is booked for diving in front of the Preston box and to the other end Preston shoot wide.

Haven't got time for single players bits and bobs, Walters is man of the match, attendance was 19 243, It's my mom's birthday. I'm off

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