Preston North End 11-1 Port Vale

Preston welcomed Port Vale on a typical winter’s morning. The main pitch at Springfield’s was water logged after continuous rain. After some hard work from Steve Cowell, the match was back on after getting a pitch at Lancashire Constabulary.

North End started a strong team, playing in their home strip. Port Vale played the game in a sky blue kit. Port Vale recently gave local rivals Bury a tough game, so Preston were well aware of the threat. Preston kicked off the match, on the mud bath of a pitch.

Preston started the match well, giving Port Vale some scares early on. The visitors were playing with a lone striker, the Preston defence dealt with the long balls direct from the keeper. Midway through the first half Preston took the lead thanks to the in form striker partnership. Chris Chambers picked the ball up wide left, cut inside in his right foot.

Chambers drilled the ball across goal for Andy Dodwell to put the finishing touch to guide the ball home. Soon after Andy’s opener, Chris himself was on the score sheet. Chambers was unmarked inside the box, to hook the ball past the keeper, the Port Vale defender couldn’t keep the ball out either as it trickled in.

Preston went three goals to the good, some good individual work from Anthony. Anthony got his initial shot away from a corner. The rebound fell back to him as he smashed the ball home to give North End a three goal advantage. The score at half time was 3-0 to the whites.

Some changes were made at half time, as Preston looked to mix it up. Further goals were to follow in the second half as Preston piled on the pressure against their visitors. “Order of goals could be wrong”. Jonny Kershaw who was having a good game along with the rest of the team managed to grab himself a goal with good strike on the angle.

Chris Chambers went through on goal two more times to add a quick fire brace to his tally. Preston seemed to be cruising at this point, being 6-0 up. Andy Dodwell got his second goal of the game after being alert to a bad goal kick from the Vale keeper. Jonny Kershaw added another goal before being substituted, lobbing the keeper from close range.

Port Vale managed to pull a consolation goal back, which they thoroughly deserved. The Vale winger got a lucky deflection. He played the ball across goal for an easy tap in for the Vale striker.

Chris, who was on fire at this point of the game, took no prisoners as he added another goal to his tally, being the 38th of the season. Chambers’s fourth and final goal of the game was a good finish which beat the keeper to his right post. Des who came on for Andy fluffed a series of glorious chances to get himself on the score sheet. The dopey striker couldn’t get his foot around the ball in time.

The biggest surprise of the match was when Atky, who was playing wide right after Jason picked up an injury towards the end of the first half. The goal came from a good Preston move. Chris Chambers did the hard work to lay Atky off. His initial shot was fluffed, but he kept his composure to take a touch then curl a shot into the bottom left corner.

The final goal was scored by Matty, friend of Matty Higgins who didn’t have much to do at all in goals, bar pick the ball out once. Matty did ever so well, as he advanced towards goal. He nicely slotted the ball home with his left foot. The match ended, 11-1 to Preston.