|
|
Match Details: Saturday 17th January 2004 Northern Premier League First Division
Attendance: 239 Prescot Cables: McMahon Holmes C.Flood Chadwick Clark McGuire Garforth Taylor Torpey Robinson McEwan Subs: A Flood Vahid Radcliffe The Tigers recorded their second successive 1-0 away win with a hard fought victory over a physical Prescot at Valerie Park. It certainly wasn't pretty, but at this stage of the season, and with four key players missing, it was a great result. Paul Jones and Nicky Hill were both suspended, whilst Phil Salt and Matty Mc Neil were both unfit. All should be back for Saturday's game with Wakefield. Things became even worse after 8 minutes, when Jamie Milligan was the victim of a crude late challenge and was carried off with a potential serious knee injury. A quiet word in the offender's ear was the only punishment from referee Mr. Newell, who continued to be lenient in the extreme. Chances were few and far between in a drap first half and honours just about even. Steve Waywell's half-time team talk suggested one goal would win it and Kieran Delaney duly obliged on 58 minutes when Neil Tolson headed Ian Pendlebury's corner goalwards and he was on hand to slot it home. Minutes earlier Lee Madin had missed a sitter. From then on it was a resolute determined defensive effort from the Tigers. Tim Mullock looked assured in goal and John O'Kane, alongside the recalled Anthony Kielthy, needed all his experience to keep Prescot at bay. Pendlebury had a storming second half too, continually breaking up moves and using the ball intelligently. Prescot's best player was full back Colin Flood, who played on with a bandaged head after a terrible clash of heads with his own defender in the first half. He will certainly have gone to bed with a headache. As Prescot pushed forward in the last ten minutes, Tony Ellis came on for a disappointing Madin and immediately set up two chances. First Criag Buckley was put through, but could only hit the 'keeper's legs and then Andy Waine was through again and as he rounded the 'keeper, he was brought down. A clear penalty everybody thought as Mr Newell stopped play. To cap a bizarre afternoon for himself, he gave Prescot a free-kick and booked Waine for diving. It was fortunate the Tigers were already ahead. The final whistle couldn't come soon enough. |