Clarets lose to new champions

Michael King - scored both Burnley goals

Despite the better weather over the last few days it was a bitterly cold Gawthorpe this morning that hosted Jamie Hoyland's Preston team who have been on top of the league virtually all season, and despite twice falling behind today they came back to win the game, their third one goal win over the Clarets this season.

Preston started well and the first few minutes looked to be played in and around our own penalty box. But we soon got into our stride and had a spell on top that led to us going in front. Michael King, playing on the right hand side, finished it after a move involving right back Ed Williams and Dom Knowles.

It should have been two soon after when Joe Jackson was set up by King but somehow scooped his shot over the bar, and we almost immediately paid the price for that miss when North End went straight down to equalise.

Not as though they held the lead for long. The referee awarded us a penalty for handball and King made no mistake from the spot to restore our advantage.

That was the score at half time, but in the second half the visitors again drew level with a fierce shot from some way outside the penalty box. Even so Burnley came storming back again and we couldn't have come much closer to getting a third.

One effort was deflected wide and then King came close to a hat trick with two right foot shots. The first was blocked brilliantly on the line by a defender and the second was well saved by the keeper.

But it was Preston who won it. More than once goalkeeper Danny McDonald denied them but with just a few minutes remaining they got the all important third with Burnley players appealing without success for offside.

It leaves Preston just a point from being assured the title but with the goal difference situation they would almost certainly still win it if they lost both remaining games.

For Burnley, we'll be considering ourselves very unfortunate again not to have got something against Preston. The games against them this season have been very close.

We've just two games remaining this season and both will be played in midweek. Next week we travel to Macclesfield to play the game called off a couple of weeks ago and on Tuesday 27^th April end our season with a home game against Wigan.

The team was: Danny McDonald, Ed Williams, Curtis Woods, Neil Yadolahi, Jake McEneaney, Michael King, Joe McKee, Dave Lynch, Tommy Taylor (Ross Wilson 74), Dom Knowles, Liam Newman (Joe Jackson 62). Subs not used: Josh Cook, Stephen Edwards.