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Club News

On This Day… 10th April

10 April 2020

Club News

On This Day… 10th April

10 April 2020

On this day two years ago, North End came from a goal behind to beat Leeds United at Deepdale and maintain their Play-Off chances.

The visitors took the lead when Kemar Roofe converted a low Kalvin Phillips cross at the back post, but Paul Gallagher levelled from the penalty spot after Billy Bodin was fouled in the area by Vurnon Anita before Sean Maguire put the Lilywhites in front from a Gallagher cross. Alan Browne wrapped up the win with a header from Callum Robinson's cross.

The visitors shaded the first half, but were lucky to go in ahead at the break after Bodin's low effort came back off the post.

PNE turned the match around in three first half minutes, though Leeds were furious referee Lee Probert did not stop play before Maguire's goal when defender Pontus Jansson went down with a head injury.

After the game PNE boss Alex Neil said: “I think we're more pleased with the result than anything. Our last few performances have been good, but we've not had anything to show for it.

“To say I'm happy with how we played doesn't really matter. Tonight was more about getting the points and the fact we scored three goals was good. We're all a bit fed up of playing well, but not getting the result, so the bottom line is we need to get our finger out and go and do it.”

Another good win on this date came ten years ago today, when Darren Ferguson’s side produced a stunning late turnaround, including a winner three minutes into stoppage time.

Both keepers made several saves in a lively opening, but Jon Parkin put PNE ahead from six yards after a poor Cliff Byrne clearance fell kindly.

Sean St. Ledger cleared off the North End line, but his poor back pass allowed Garry Thompson to level. Grant McCann's pass then led to Thompson's second goal, but Billy Jones' header and Keith Treacy's curler snatched victory.

After the game, then manager Darren Ferguson said: “Credit to my players we have somehow got a win out of it. It was a fantastic goal to win the game and keep us in the Championship for next season.

“Now I can really concentrate on next season. We have got three games left, now we know we are safe, we want to finish as high as we can. I saw a lot of good things and a lot that we can take into next season. The three months I have been here have been a real learning curve.

“The criteria was to stay in the league and we have managed to do that. I can sit down with the chairman, I know my targets. I think there is one or two people who need to move on.”

On the 10th April 1937 we reached the Final of the FA Cup with a 4-1 semi-final victory over West Bromwich Albion at Highbury.

Two goals each from Jimmy Dougal and Frank O'Donnell took us through to our fourth final and our first at Wembley Stadium.

It was the first time we had reached the showpiece since 1922, when we lost 2-1 to Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge in the last pre-Wembley Final

Our opponents were to be the 'Bank of England' club Sunderland, so-called because of the then large amounts they had spent on players.

Another memorable moment to come on this date was when Steve Harper scored his only North End hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Mansfield Town at Deepdale in 1990.

With his long curly hair, he resembled a Cavalier from the Civil War as much as a footballer, all of which added to his appeal to the fans.

His close control dribbling style was ideally suited to the plastic pitch on which he played and his ten goals that season saw him third behind Warren Joyce and Brian Mooney in a high scoring team.

Still only 22 when left for Burnley the following summer, he had a long careers encompassing six clubs in all and almost 600 senior games.


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