Lancaster City 0-3 Preston North End XI

A strong Preston North End XI were too good for Lancaster City at GIant Axe on Tuesday night.
Jordan Hugill was one of the Preston North End first team players in action at Lancaster City.Jordan Hugill was one of the Preston North End first team players in action at Lancaster City.
Jordan Hugill was one of the Preston North End first team players in action at Lancaster City.

The Lilywhites had nine professionals in the starting line-up including Tommy Spurr, John Welsh, Jordan Hugill, Alan Browne and Simon Makienok as the build up continues to their opening game at Reading on Saturday.

Lewis Fensome, whose dad Andy played for both clubs, opened the scoring with a first-half header before Makienok scored his first North End goal on the hour.

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Substitute Melle Meulensteen then completed the scoring with time almost up.

The Evo-Stik First Division North hosts, playing against a side some six tiers above them, made a bright start with Billy Akrigg seeing a shot from 20 yards after a nice move go wide before Jacob Gregory’s low shot was saved by Matt Hudson.

North End’s first opening came on 12 minutes, Dylan Davidson seeing a shot sliced over his own crossbar by Chris Anderson after Makienok’s original header from Hugill’s cross had been blocked.

It was the Championship side who went in front midway through the half as the two academy players in their starting line-up combined.

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Davidson sent over a corner and Fensome rose highest to head home unmarked from 10 yards.

The second almost came shortly after but both Makienok and Fensome had efforts blocked as Lancaster scrambled clear another Davidson set piece.

As North End’s superior quality began to tell, Hugill came close either side of the half hour, firing over when he should have tested Luke Raybould in the Dolly Blues goal before nodding a Davidson corner narrowly wide.

Davidson’s delivery continued to be the main weapon for PNE, Makienok planting a header straight at Raybould shortly before the break.

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The great Dane was also the first to go close after the interval, diverting Hugill’s initial header goalwards only for Raybould to scramble across and keep the ball out.

The second goal continued to be elusive for North End, Hugill firing over after the ball dropped kindly in the area before testing Raybould with a stinging shot.

The Dolly Blues’ best move of the match came just before the hour, Simon Wills seeing a shot deflected agonisingly wide after great work down the right from Oliver Crolla and Danny Shearwood.

The visitors’ second finally came on 60 minutes, Makienok taking Josh Earl’s cross 10 yards out and poking home to open his Preston account.

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As the substitutions arrived the game then drifted and chances dried up, Meulensteen shooting over the bar after some nice skill on the edge of the area 10 minutes from time.

He was to get his goal however, striding forward and finishing well past Raybould a minute before the end of the 90.

Lancaster City: Raybould, Henry (Hudson 70), Davis, Clark, Anderson (Westwood 78), Watson (Wills 55), Gregory (Crolla 33), Russell (Waters 63), Akrigg, Cummings (Shearwood 55), Connerton (Livingstone 78).

PNE: Hudson, Smith, Fensome (Kwateng 82), Davies, Spurr (Wood 82), A Robinson (Earl 59), Browne (Smart 78), Welsh (capt) (Meulensteen 78), Davidson, Hugill (Howard 73), Makienok (Barry 75). Subs not used: Roberts.

Referee: Emmanual Edit.

Attendance: 207

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