Stockport County were dumped out of the Carling Cup after a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Darren Ferguson’s Preston North End at Edgeley Park.
Goals from Callum Davidson, Matty James, Joshua King and a brace from Paul Hayes sealed Preston’s passage into the next round and leave Paul Simpson’s side to focus on the more pressing matter of League Two.
It was a big step up in class for County and they had only poor finishing and Owain fon Williams to thank for not going behind early on.
If evidence was needed that fon Williams is over last season’s jitters, he provided it after 22 minutes when he produced a fantastic save to tip Paul Hayes’ fierce free-kick over the bar.
Paul Simpson put his faith two 18-year-olds down the left flank with Andy Halls playing behind Rowe, but it was Halls who gave Preston the chance to take the lead when he brought down Danny Mayor in the box.
The linesman’s flag was all the evidence referee Mark Haywood needed to point to the spot and Callum Davidson smashed the penalty into the roof of the net to give Preston a half-time lead.
Ferguson has the luxury of being able to call on his dad – who was watching on from the stands - to lend him some of United’s best young players, and one of those, Matty James, doubled Preston’s lead after 57 minutes after ghosting into the box to get on the end of Callum Davidson’s throw-in and fire past fon Williams.
The game was all but over five minutes later when Danny Swailes felled Chris Brown in the area and Hayes converted Preston’s second penalty of the evening.
Another of Fergie’s fledglings Joshua King, who made his United debut in the same competition last season, came off the bench to lay on the fourth for Hayes after 75 minutes before racing clear to add the fifth himself two minutes from time.
COUNTY: fon Williams 7, Lynch 6, Halls 5, Swailes 6, Assoumani 6, Turnbull 6, Tansey 6, Poole 6, Rowe 5 (Pilkington 63, 6), Donnelly 6 (Fisher 81, 6), Conlon 6 (Partridge 70, 6).
What is your verdict on the action? Have your say.
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Couldn't get to the game tonight (but I'll be there on Saturday). Just one simple request please: Don't start getting on the team's back. We played a team two divisions above us and, as Paul Simpson says, our one goal this season is to stay in league two and so introduce a degree of stability. A long hard season has just begun - it isn't going to be pretty but let's hang on in there.
Josh King is going to be some player to set up that goal and the one he scored was brilliant!!! He has some pace
No doubt the doom merchants will soon be having a go, but as phil says, they are 2 leagues above us and they do have help from the managers daddy, so lets forget this setback and think positive for Saturdays game, good luck lads,, adios Dave in Spain
Disappointed about the 5 goal rout but agree with whats been said, reality is that Preston are two divisions higher - forget this result and move on to Saturday which is a fixture County should be winning easily if we are to survive in league 2 this season.
Not being a doom merchant as I believe that PS is the man for the job.........but that midfield!!!! Poole, Tansey, Turnbull, Partridge plus others who didn't play such as Griffin and Vincent. Unless something is done about this, we will be up the creek without a paddle I'm afraid. It's not PS's fault, it's last year's incumbent plus the clueless administrators. These players are so far below the standard required it's untrue!! PS signings look good but the simple facts are that the remainder of the wage budget has been gobbled up by the aforementioned donkeys!
maybe have to agree with Alan Hornsby about our midfield not really being upto the job think we do need to invest, it is gonna be a hard season but i can see some improvement and long may it continue
on another note what happend to peter thompson i know he went back to linfield last season on loan but he was due to come back? and if not how come we never heard that he signed for them? and how much we got for him?
He's gone Mike. Gone back to Linfield. We got nothing for him although I believe we were due to pay Linfield another installment if he played another game for us. So although we didn't receive any money my understanding is we saved some.
Unlucky boys, it just means we can now concentrate on the League and a good run to the semi's in the FA Cup! Keep believing!
Realistically Preston are a strong team who did a very focused professional job against would be giantkillers. No bearing on the league even if it would have been nice to take a scalp. I just hope and expect to see steady improvement, anything else is cloud cuckoo territtory.
Come on County :)
May be being naive here but couldn't Paul Simpson use his previous Man City contacts and tap up some of their younger players on loan, much like young Ferguson does with his dad. Surely with little access to the first team squad some od City's youngsters would jump at the chance to prove themselves.