PRESTON NORTH END 1-1 COVENTRY CITY
City: Murphy (GK), Christie, Webster, Seaborne, Adams, Baker (Slager 82), Thomas, Fleck, J. Clarke (Daniels 54), Moussa, L. Clarke. Subs: Burge, Barton, Phillips, Willis, Haynes.
Preston North End: Rudd (GK), Clarke, Wright, Davies, Holmes (Humphrey 74), Gallagher (King 92), Garner, Buchanan, Welsh (C) (Keane 74), Wiseman, Kilkenny.
Subs: Stuckmann, Beavon, Hume, Brownhill.
HT PNEFC 0-0 CCFC FT PNEFC 1-1 CCFC ATT 10,671
Referee K.Wright
Booked Gallagher, Murphy. Sent off Davies 87
Goal Kevin Davies 53, Franck Moussa 90+7
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Coventry City's run of never winning at Preston North End in league games continued but they snatched a late 1-1 draw with a stunning goal.
A miserable morning saw the Sky Blue Army setting off for Lancashire and looking for a win against a team starting with the initial P away in January for the first time since 1922.
The 932 City supporters, including actor Graeme Hawley and supporters from as far away as Hampshire, London and Kent, who made it to Deepdale on a dry afternoon, were faced with the dilemma of what to do following Leon Clarke, who has obviously been influenced by his agent to try and earn a few quid more elsewhere, handing in a transfer request on Monday morning.
Support him was the answer as the glove wearing Leon Clarke who had trained all week, started along with Danny Seaborne, who joined from Yeovil this week on an eighteen month deal, and Clarke got a good reception off the City fans with plenty singing his name.
A fourth minute free kick for a foul on Moussa led to two corners and a minute later, Murphy pushed away a Lillywhites corner.
Another Preston attack came three minutes later and this time, Andy Webster cleared off the line from Paul Gallagher who had a shot saved by Murphy at the second attempt.
In the tenth minute, Preston, whose stewards were handing City supporters a poster thanking for them for travelling, were gifted another chance when Holmes blasted well wide.
City went up the other end and won a corner before Holmes fired a Garner cross over in the 15th minute.
As a band in the home end banged out another ditty, Franck Moussa was tripped just outside the area. There was a massive gap in the wall but the wall was struck and this 21st minute chance was gone.
A 27th minute corner came to nothing and three minutes later, Jordan Clarke, who this week was playing as a left sided midfielder, headed out for a corner. Preston were quick on the attack and Garner broke to hit a shot which Murphy brilliantly pushed over for a 32nd minute corner.
Attacks down City's left continued but either Webster or Murphy did enough to avert any danger. Seaborne was forced into the blood shirt after taking a bang but it was very level at half time.
Davies, who was recommended to then City manager Ron Atkinson as a sixteen year old, flashed a volley well wide three minutes into the second half. That was cleared and Leon Clarke held a defender to win a corner.
In the 53rd minute, Preston tore down their left flank and a ball over, found the unmarked Kevin Davies who lashed it off the bar and into the net.
Both sides won corners with Webster getting to a Seaborne flick on and back-heeling the ball over the bar for a City side which Jordan Clarke limp off and replaced by Billy Daniels.
In the 66th minute, a good move saw a Christie cross just miss the far post. Another Christie cross and there was Leon Clarke. Neil Kilkenny shoved him to the ground but Mr Wright waved appeals away, despite it being a blatant penalty yards away from the City support who were livid.
As the City support laughed at Preston fans with their mobile phone light show , singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", the Lillywhites made a double change.
Carl Baker who did not have the best of games, was the second City player to be changed with Slager coming on.
It looked like Preston were going to take another victory but with three minutes to go, the game changed. Firstly, the Lillywhites were down to ten men when Kevin Davies took Webster straight out and was promptly sent off.
Against ten men, City, who have sold all their tickets for Arsenal on Friday, suddenly picked up. It was deep in stoppage time and time added on due to a Preston fan keeping hold of the ball, when Franck Moussa got the ball.
The Belgian could have passed but didn't and let rip with a stunning shot from well outside the area which flew into the net to earn a draw and kept City's run of scoring in every league away game this season going, whilst sending the Sky Blue support, who went absolutely ballistic, home happy.
Match report dedicated to the memory of Sue Seale – City Till She Died