Goals by Lee McEvilly and player-manager Paul Simpson gave Third Division
Rochdale a shock win over Preston in the FA Cup third round at Deepdale as Craig
Brown's first taste of the competition turned sour.
McEvilly's stunning free-kick was his seventh goal of the season - and
although Iain Anderson levelled, Simpson notched the winner.
It was Simpson's 10th goal of the season and increases the pressure on Brown,
who has seen his side lose their last five games.
There was a scrappy start to the game with chances few and far between,
although Preston did threaten first when American midfielder Eddie Lewis headed
the ball wide after nine minutes following Graham Alexander's cross.
The Division One side made four changes to the team which lost 2-1 at Stoke on
New Year's Day.
Goalkeeper Tepi Moilanen replaced the injured David Lucas - while Colin
Murdock, Eric Skora and Pawel Abbott all started.
Richard Cresswell was out with a hamstring injury, while Brian Barry-Murphy
was cup-tied and Mark Rankine was suspended.
Rochdale captain Gareth Griffiths missed out with a back injury, while Gavin
Melaugh was dropped to the bench with Michael Oliver and the experienced Richard
Jobson coming in.
The former Manchester City defender was shown the yellow card after a foul on
David Healy after 17 minutes, while Lilywhites defender Chris Lucketti joined
him in the referee's notebook after a clumsy challenge on Paul Connor.
Simpson's side had coped well throughout the opening half-hour, although
Alexander did drill a right-foot shot over the crossbar from 20 yards as the
home side briefly threatened.
But it was the visitors who took a shock lead after 37 minutes when McEvilly
fired home a spectacular free-kick to leave Moilanen stranded after the
20-year-old had been fouled by Paul McKenna.
Visiting goalkeeper Neil Edwards made his first meaningful save just before
the interval when he tipped Lewis' free-kick around the post.
Brown made two changes at the interval, Anderson and Lee Cartwright replacing
Skora and Lewis - and Anderson made an immediate impact when he equalised after
47 minutes.
Abbott was fouled on the edge of the area by Simon Grand, and Anderson drilled
a low right-foot free-kick past Edwards from the edge of the area.
Simpson introduced himself after 50 minutes, with the injured Clive Platt
taken off, and it was an inspired change as he put Rochdale back in front after
Moilanen had failed to keep out a free-kick two minutes later.
Alexander volleyed the ball wide as Preston sought an immediate response
before Anderson was booked for a foul on Wayne Evans.
Edwards made a fine save to deny Anderson an equaliser - and the goalkeeper
was called upon again to keep out Cartwright's left-foot shot just after the
hour.
Murdock headed Anderson's free-kick over the bar as Preston continued to push
forward, while McEvilly went close at the other end during a brief forward foray
from the visitors.
Dickson Etuhu was replaced by Tyrone Mears in the closing stages as Brown
tried to find a solution to his side's problems - but a late Abbott effort which
flashed wide was as close as they came to an equaliser.
Teams:
Preston: Moilanen, Alexander, Murdock, Lucketti, Broomes,
Skora (Cartwright 45), McKenna, Etuhu (Mears 75),
Lewis (Anderson 46), Abbott, Healy.
Subs Not Used: O'Neil, O'Hanlon.
Booked: Lucketti, Broomes, Anderson.
Goals: Anderson 48.
Rochdale: Edwards, Evans, Jobson, Grand, Warner, Oliver,
Flitcroft, Doughty, Platt (Simpson 51), Connor, McEvilly.
Subs Not Used: Gilks, Melaugh, Townson, Hill.
Booked: Jobson, Connor, Flitcroft, Grand.
Goals: McEvilly 39, Simpson 54.
Att: 8,762
Ref: R Pearson (Co Durham).
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