Match Report Mens Team - Preston Athletic

A dominant performance from South tonight against a Preston side sitting 3rd in the league.

South flew out the blocks, with Fletcher Hendry testing from distance inside 30 seconds. The breakthrough followed shortly after as Kenny O’Brien delivered a pinpoint cross for Max Clark, whose glancing header found the corner beyond the keeper.

Right on half time, Scott Clapperton’s tenacity won the ball back high up the pitch. Reacting first to his own block, he swung it into the box where Murray Connolly took a superb touch before firing low across goal to double the lead.

The second half turned scrappy, with Preston reduced to 10 men, and South made it count. A strong defensive display across the park saw everyone put in a shift both in and out of possession to keep Preston at bay.

The third came in style as Lee Taggart picked out Yassine Chakiry with a brilliant 50-yard pass, and he finished clinically past the goalkeeper.

South stayed solid to see the game out and secure the clean sheet, limiting Preston to long balls late on. A top performance all round and another big step towards promotion.

The starting lineup for South was

TWITTER TIMELINE

0’ | Preston get us underway

3’ | GOAAALLL!!!

Kenny’s free-kick is met by Max and it’s a fantastic header to beat the keeper

ESFC 1 - 0 PAFC

27’ | First change for South

OFF: Blake Wales

ON: Scott Clapperton

45’ | GOAAALLL!!

It’s brilliant work from Clappy as he wins the ball back out wide and his tenacity creates an opportunity for him to cross it. Muzz takes his touch in the box and hits it back across goal in to the far corner

ESFC 2 - 0 PAFC

HT | South lead at the break

45’ | We are underway for the second half

58’ | A scrappy second half and Preston go down to 10 men as Number 6 Dempster sees red for a second booking

62’ | GOAAALLL!!

Lee pings a lovely ball over the top for Yassine who meets it first time and passes it in to the net past the onrushing keeper

ESFC 3 - 0 PAFC

63’ | Double change for South

OFF: Fletcher Hendry & Murray Connolly

ON: Aiden Davies & Ryan Findlay

84’ | Final change

OFF: Max Clark

ON: Shane Majekodunmi

FT'| South take all 3 points