Prescot Cables 2

Fleetwood Freeport 1 PRESCOT, under the guidance of Tommy Lawson, produced an overall team performancethat deserved the ovation the players received as they left the field.

Paul Smith twice shot over the bar in the opening five minutes and then a sweeping movement involving Eddie Taylor, Steve O'Neill and Kevin Garforth ended with the latter laying the ball off to Chris Woodward who hit a shot inches wide.

Fleetwood had shown little attacking flair until Diggle broke into the Prescot box and Lee Riley made a rash challenge on him to concede a penalty, which Todhunter converted emphatically to give Fleetwood the lead after 29 minutes.

Both sides made some uncompromising tackles and the only noteworthy goal attempt in the latter stages of the first half came from Kevin Garforth, which the Fleetwood keeper saved at the foot of the post.

Prescot keeper Paul Dahl was called into action eight minutes into the second half to save from Trainor, but it was Prescot who were showing more invention up front. Chris Woodward hit a long range effort which was deflected away be a defender for a corner. From the corner, Lee Riley got in a header that was blocked and Stephen Rowan's shot from the rebound was also blocked before the ball was scrambled away. Prescot got the goal that their play merited after 61 minutes when the ball was scrambled away from goal to a Fleetwood defender who sliced an attempted clearance back across goal, where Chris Woodward reacted first to fire a shot through the crowded goalmouth into the net.

Four minutes later, Steve O'Neill cut in from the right past two defenders and, although he did properly connect with his shot, a slight deflection was enough to see it beat the keeper and give Prescot the lead. Steve O'Neill nearly got a second five minutes later when he once again cut in from the right but a Fleetwood defender was on the line to head the ball away with the keeper beaten.