[Jacko The Flopsy Piglet]

Good 3 points in a tight game with a most bizarre last quarter!

We started really well and scored while we were on top which makes a nice change this season. Preston came right back into the game for the next 10 to 15 minutes but apart from hitting the post with a well struck long range effort that had Westwood flying through the air we defended pretty well. We got some control back then and created 3 great chances before the break. Buckley should have had at least one and probably two and then Hunt showed why he plays full back with a terrible slice wide when played in on the right of the area. McGeady has his one good moment when we lost the ball on the halfway line and they broke down our right and he jinked into the box and hit a fierce shot straight at Westwood from a tightis ange when he should probably have looked to pick out one of his colleagues. Bannan appeared to get hauled back when going for a return ball in the box but the ref looked as though he can't have even seen it as he showed no reaction at all! Carlos did his nut, not for the last time in the afternoon. Both Wallace and Loovens picked up knocks in the first half and were replaced by Buckley and Jones, respectively. Neither injury looked too serious and hopefully they will both be fit for the next match.

Preston brought on Beckford at half time to go 2 up front and McGeady went off. The second half was fairly quiet but I still felt we were the most likely to get a goal without being totally in control. Lee burst into the box but couldn't quite get his shot away. Preston had a bit more threat up front and Beckford had the ball in the net from a quickly taken free kick from the wrong spot while the ref was marking a different spot on the pitch near the edge of our area. This was one of several free kicks we gave away close to our box as Preston pressed more and we got caught the wrong side of the ball in midfield. Lee picked up a yellow for one 'taking one for the team' trip from behind. However, despite repeated opportunities none of the free kicks bothered Westwood and the first one was worthy of a Colin West penalty (for those who remember that far back). People in the top tier of the West Stand were more in danger than Westwood's goal.

Then the fun really began. I didn't see the Forestieri incident but saw the linesman flagging and one of their players being held back by one his teammates. The ref consulted his colleague and quickly issued a red card to Forestieri. Preston began to press even more and Joao limped off with what looked like cramp and was replaced by Fletcher. To be honest I'd been thinking that might be a good change to make anyway as Joao had been struggling to impose himself against their centre halves, not helped by the ref not giving anaything when he rolled them and got dragged back. We then got a penalty out of nowhere when a hopeful ball into their box was left for the keeper but Buckley nipped in front of him and got clattered resulting in him falling awkwardly and hurting his shoulder. Fletcher calmly sent the keeper the wrong way and Buckley went off the pitch and looked like he wasn't coming back as he threw his shirt into the kop. Carlos wasn't having any of it though and 'persuaded' Buckley to get a new shirt on and go and make a nuisance of himself. We were all over the place at this point and Preston duly got one back when a mis-hit shot went straight to Doyle in the box and he turned and hit it home. We were really rocking now and I could see an equaliser coming. Then they had a great chance but blazed it just over the bar. It seems that Beckford disagreed with Doyle's decision not to play him in instead and this lead to both players grabbing each other and a scuffle breaking out. The ref had no choice but to send them both off for violent conduct. It was complete madness as they still had a good few minutes to the equaliser and even go on to win it. After that we saw out the win comfortably but it was certainly a remarkable end to what would otherwise have been a fairly average game.