Preston North End suffered their first loss in four games, falling to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Wrexham in a controversial game at Springfields.
Jamie Proctor's 63rd minute strike wasn't enough for Jamie Hoyland's side even though the visitors finished the game with ten men.
It was a lively start by North End, who carved out the first opening on goal in the fourth minute, Neil Dougan cut inside from the left wing to shoot with his right foot but his shot was only parried away. Ryan McGreevy was quickest to react, sliding in to shoot but his effort crashed against the side netting.
Scott Davidson was hard done by a minute later when his thunderous 30 yard strike rattled the Dragons bar, McGreevy was once again quickest to react to the rebound and tapped the ball into an empty net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
From the resulting free kick, the ball was launched up field by Wrexham goalkeeper Daniel Ward, left back Louis Walsh pushed forward and got inside PNE's box, finding space managed to pull off a shot, which Dominic Comrie got a hand too but couldn't prevent giving the visitors an early lead
Even though Preston were trailing by a goal to nil they were dominating possession in the opening 20 minutes, but couldn't break down the Dragons, who were playing very defensively, wary of Preston's attacking threat.
The game got very ill-tempered in the 35th minute when Tom Owens was fouled by Brian Sumerskill. Owens reacted angrily to the challenge, which saw a mass confrontation between opposing players. Wrexham defender Edward Moss was then seen to raise an arm at Owens, which should have seen the players' dismissal, fortunately for Moss he escaped with a yellow card.
After this controversial decision, there were several altercations between the teams; a blatant foul on Owens once again, this time not even a free kick was awarded, giving Wrexham the opportunity to go on the attack, but they failed to capitalise with Bailey Wright intercepting the pass.
The game calmed down at the beginning of the second half, it was Wrexham though who doubled their lead in the 59th minute.Mike Paicharo placed the ball into the far corner following a through ball from central midfielder Robert Pearson.
Preston where struggling to get their rhythm, as every time they went on the attack, the Wrexham players would commit a foul to stop their flow.
Proctor handed his team a lifeline in the 63rd minute and halved the deficit. Good work from Dougan as he rounded his man to play a cross in for Proctor, the striker then struck a powerful low shot which skimmed under the keeper getting PNE back into the game.
Shortly after the goal, North End's chances were boosted of a comeback when Summerskill received his second yellow card to reduce the visitors to ten men. The fiery midfielder went in recklessly on right back Conor McLaughlin on the right hand side of the Dragons area. North End couldn't capitalise on the free kick, Dougan squaring the ball to Captain George Miller, whose shot took a heavy deflection going harmlessly wide.
On the run of play, ten men Wrexham regained their two goal cushion after Nick Rustiton turned defenders Wright and Fred Holtom, his initial shot hit the post but he was on hand to finish the rebound in the 70th minute.
Jamie Hoyland brought on striker Michael McLellan, also putting defender Bailey Wright up front in a 4-3-3 formation seeing if Preston could salvage anything from the game.
The closest Preston came to grabbing their second was through goal scorer Proctor, the striker who switched to the left wing, cut inside and shot with his favoured right foot, drilling an effort against the side netting.
Preston manager Jamie Hoyland believed that it was a disappointing day for his side. He said: "I think they have had three efforts on goal and scored all three, we've huffed and puffed. Various factors haven't helped the game flow today definitely, the officials that is, I thought he didn't handle the game very well. That is not an excuse to lose but it just made the game stop start and it wasn't what we wanted."
North End goalkeeper Dominic Comrie believes that it is all about how the team bounce back from this defeat. He said: "We have to hold our hands up today and say we didn't play as well as we should do, for the exception of maybe one or two but its how we bounce back from it."
Preston: Comrie, McLaughlin, Hart, Miller (c), Holtom, Wright, Owens (McLellan 73) Davidson (Clucas 81), McGreevy (Devine), Proctor, Dougan. Subs: Leather
Wrexham: Ward, Moss, Moss, Walker (c), Marsh, Denk, Summerskill, Pearson, Colbeck, Rustiton, Paicharo. Subs: Roberts, Bainbridge, Deanen, Malton, Shipton.
Report by Jonathon Swift. Photos by Farran Photography.
