Scunthorpe 2 - 3 Preston NE
Tuesday 23rd October 2012 - 19:45 (League One)
One of those nights in North Lincolnshire when you thought the game was over after half an hour only to be left biting your finger nails in the last part of the game. North End dominated for the first 35 minutes and were three up but a goal just before half time took a little wind out of our sails. The second half was much more even with the home side having more of the ball but only managing to convert one, leaving Westleys boys to travel back with all three points in the bag.
The game was only 20 seconds old when Jack King headed the ball down superbly into the path of Nicky Wroe who gleefully slotted home to send the travelling 246 fans in to raptures. Just after the twenty minute mark a rampant Preston made it two when Wroe again ran on to a King ball and scored his and North End's second. The home side were all over the place at the back and when a 35 minute Wroe free kick was deflected past Slocombe it looked like being a case of how many. Unfortunately for us Leon Clarke pulled one back four minutes from the break after a great save by Simonsen and the edge was taken off an excellent first half performance from all the team.
After the interval we were a little more reserved and comfortable to let the Iron take hold of the play. Although Scunthorpe threatened they were not putting us under real pressure with Simonsen having an excellent game, displaying all his experience. Westley did change the formation bringing on Amoo as we sat further and further back. The jitters arrived when Karl Hawley struck a superb shot with 18 minutes left and suddenly we were on the back foot. The manager went 4-5-1 and then went 4-6-0 into the 6 minutes of added time as Simonsen made an excellent double save near the end as North End held on for the win in added time.
A great three points then on a typical autumnal evening in front of a very sparse crowd at Glanford Park. It should have been more comfortable than it was but nevertheless a win is a win and with a real big game coming up at Prenton Park on Saturday we could be well back in the race by the time Saturday tea-time comes. This was a better performance than of late but Scunthorpe were hardly world beaters and I think we will get a real perspective of North End's chances on Saturday in Birkenhead.
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