City out of FA Youth Cup after 90th-minute goal
Line-UpsExeter City: Keadell, Egan (capt), Down, Merritt, Grimes, Storey, Smallcombe (Rehemi 88’), Hargreaves, Seymour, Richards (Collins 60’), Rosenwald.
Subs: Williams, Rogers, Hartridge.
Goals: Rosenwald 52’
Preston North End: Hudson, Smith, Whelan, Boyd, Burgoyne, Robinson, Davidson, Robinson, Tracey (Meulensteen 62’), Lunney, Earl (Jagne 73’) .
Subs: Roberts, Crankshaw, Creech.
Goals: Whelan 65’, Lunney 90’
Referee: Adam Ricketts
Report
A LAST-GASP strike from Adam James Robinson completed a Preston come-back as they knocked a spirited Exeter side out of the FA Youth Cup at the Fourth Round.
Frank Rosenwald had fired City into the lead shortly after the half-time interval, but the Grecians were up against a resurgent Preston side who equalised shortly after through captain Sean Whelan, before Robinson poked home at the death.
In a frantic start to the game, the first chance of note fell to Preston in the fourth minute. Midfielder Jonathan Lunney burst forward from deep and connected well with a long-range effort to force Kavanagh Keadell to tip his effort around the post for a corner.
In a game that was becoming increasingly bogged down in midfield, Exeter responded with their first real chance of the game twelve minutes later. Will Richards twisted and turned in the box to work an opening, but his deflected shot didn’t have the power to pose any problems for Matthew Hudson in the Preston goal.
The visitors were beginning to look a threat down the right-hand side, and their persistence in this area of the pitch should have resulted in them taking the lead in the twenty fourth minute. After Keadell palmed the ball back out into the City box following a hard-struck effort from the right-hand side, Jordan Storey was at hand to block a follow-up effort, before a third attempt from a Preston forward was skewed narrowly wide.
The away side threatened again shortly after. Frederick Tracey struck on the turn, but his effort spun wide of the City goal. Preston were beginning to take the ascendancy as they strung together a number of attacking moves, but some resolute defending from the Grecians’ backline meant that the teams went in on level terms for the half-time break.
HALF-TIME: EXETER CITY 0–0 PRESTON NORTH END
The half-time break worked wonders for the home side with Frank Rosenwald at the centre of the action. First his driven effort from the right-hand side was saved, before the imposing City forward glided over to the opposite side of the Preston box for another shot at goal.
It was third time lucky for Rosenwald as his persistence was rewarded moments later. After some scrappy defending, the pacey striker latched on to a loose ball to slide his low shot beyond the on-rushing Hudson.
The visitors responded to going behind well, and they restored parity little over ten minutes after Exeter had taken the lead. After City failed to clear their lines, Preston captain Sean Whelan connected well with an aerial ball to head past Keadell.
Preston were looking the more likely to make something happen after levelling the scores, with substitute Lamin Jagne providing some fresh legs in midfield. In the seventy seventh minute the ball came to Dylan Davison following a corner, but the Preston midfielder fired over the bar.
The next two chances fell to Preston substitute Melle Meulensteen as the away side chased a winning goal. First the Preston midfielder headed wide after connecting with a Clive Smith cross, before he blazed a long-range effort well over the City goal.
But Preston weren’t to be denied as they completed the turnaround in the last minute of normal time. After Jon Lunney whipped in a free-kick, Adam James Robinson was most alert to poke past Keadell in the City goal, knocking a spirited City side out of the competition at the fourth round stage.
FULL-TIME: EXETER CITY 1–2 PRESTON NORTH END
Attendance: 295
Man of the Match: Frank Rosenwald