Preston North End 4-2 Rotherham United

Match pictures here

Quote from the Bury Fans Team Manager who watched this game;

"Preston preparation, organisation and sheer desire to win this match was
plain to everyone who witnessed this match".

This quote from the Bury Manager said it all really and I personally take great pride in what he said. It's something I have tried to do all season and Saturday was pay back time for all that effort and commitment over the course of the season. As for this game, we new we had to be at our best to have any chance of winning it, so we prepared ourselves the best way we could.

Our actual preparations started the night before with a light training session on the "Park" next to Deepdale. Our preparation continues with the hire of a mini bus even though it was a short distance to Bury. I felt we had to get the atmosphere right before the game and by travelling together we could do this. So when we kick off we were ready as we could be.

Yet with all our preparations in was Rotherham who drew first blood. It was a poor goal from our point of view as we somehow let a Rotherham player get to the bye line and then let him get his cross in without much of a challenge. Just as our goal was poor Rotherham would not be too happy about our equaliser goal.

A great free kick floated in by Johnny Kershaw was headed across goal by Player Manager Steve, Chris coming in at the back post connected well with the cross but unfortunately for Rotherham the ball having come back of the keeper hit the defender on the line and somehow crept into the corner of the net and that's how it stayed till half time.

As the second half got under away you could tell Preston had been lifted by their equalising goal and even through they were up against the driving rain and against the narrow slope of the pitch it was the Preston team who took the game to Rotherham.

Rotherham have some real quality players but they were struggling against the pace of the Preston attack and it was from the pace of their attack half way through the second half that Preston finally get there noses in front.
Sheer pandemonium broke out on the touchline five minutes later as Preston who were now on the ascendancy scored again.

The Rotherham Keeper did well to keep beat out a shot by a Preston player but Jimmy Higgins who had just come on as sub gleefully drove the rebound high into the Rotherham net, 3-1 Preston.

Some of the Preston Fans and subs thought it was all over but you should never switch off against a team like Rotherham and a deserved penalty given for a late tackle by the Preston centre half was duly converted by the Rotherham player.

The final 10 minutes were a tense affair but another pacey attack from the Preston team so Preston Man of the match Chris Chambers hammer in the fourth and deciding goal. The ref decided enough was enough a few minutes later and the Preston team celebrated their win in fine style.

It was close game but Preston deserved to win this game and this was acknowledged by the Rotherham lads after the game. This win took Preston into their first ever Cup Final. This Semi Final was a game which will live long in the memory of everybody who watched this game.

A big thanks goes to the referee who had a difficult job on his hands but he Refereed in fair and just way. There was a few things said after the game by both sides but let’s hope with the passage of time these will be forgotten and when we meet up again we can just concentrate on the football and between us put on another great show.

Thanks to all players on both sides for their efforts but most of all thanks to all my players who did everything i asked of them and more besides. To beat a team Like Rotherham in this our first season is a remarkable achievement so well done lads you deserved it!