Adam O'Reilly signs professional contract and Connor Simpson scored his first ever league goal on loan at Carlisle
Bury U18 2 PNE U18 2 please log in to view this image A youthful North End team took a battling point away at a strong Bury side in the North West Youth Alliance league, with a stunning 90th-minute equaliser all that denied them the three points. All four goals came in the second half, Joe Adams opening the scoring just before the hour, but Josh Pollard and Jacob Holland-Wilkinson found the net inside the following ten minutes to turn the game on its head. However, Saul Shotton picked out the top corner from distance in the dying moments, making it all square at the final whistle. Pollard was the only man to keep his spot from the midweek FA Youth Cup victory against Norwich City, with the youth team set to welcome the Shakers back to Deepdale in their next match a week on Friday in the next round of that competition. With numerous scholars rested, five of the eight schoolboys who started against Shrewsbury Town last weekend returned to the starting line-up. They started well, although it was Bury who would see more of the ball for large parts of the contest. Femi Seriki was the outlet bursting forwards from right back early on, Levi Lewis and Joe Blanchard intervening well against him in the box in quick succession. Aaron Bennett’s optimistic long-range effort went well wide, with Bury ‘keeper Mark E. Williams then forced to punch behind Jerome Jolly’s menacing corner, the subsequent delivery seeing Blanchard have a header blocked at the back post. James Cottam read Jack Hatton’s low cross well to collect ahead of Aaron Brown, meanwhile Holland-Wilkinson miskicked a shot from the left side of the box. please log in to view this image The first real chance of the game came midway through the half, Bury’s Callum Hulme running in behind to meet Hatton’s through ball down the left, the midfielder unable to wrap his foot around the ball quite enough, his shot rebounding off the outside of the post. Hulme had another effort blocked from a free-kick, the contest very much a cagey one until the final moments of the half, Holland-Wilkinson’s flick giving Darren Brannigan time and space two minutes from half-time but he placed wide of the bottom corner from ten yards. Callum Jones headed over unopposed from Adams’ corner and Holland-Wilkinson dragged another shot wide for the Lilywhites, these frantic final moments providing a more accurate picture of how the second half would pan out. The hosts started quicker after the interval, Adams curling wide from distance having cut inside from the left, a cross from that side moments later begging for a touch at the back post, but Cottam was able to see it wide. Cottam saved well at his near post to prevent an own goal, Tyler Williams also on hand minutes later to win back possession with a superb tackle in the box. But Bury’s pressure eventually told as they took a 57th minute lead. From a throw in down the right side, Adams beat one man and shifted onto his left foot inside the box, where he curled across goal and into the far-right corner for a stylish opener. The visitors responded brilliantly, though, as after Cottam had saved Brown’s near post effort, the Lilywhites piled forward in the following quarter of an hour. They equalised pretty quickly, courtesy of Pollard in the 61st minute. Cottam’s kick out from the back was held up by Brannigan and he shifted it out to Bennett on the right. He played an expert pass across goal and Pollard finished beautifully into the top corner from the edge of the box. Holland-Wilkinson was denied by Williams minutes later and Joe Nolan’s pass down the line set up Brannigan, the PNE forward also seeing his shot saved at the near post by Bury’s ‘keeper. But the U16 forward did find the target to give the Lilywhites a 67th-minute advantage. Jolly whipped in a wonderful cross the left and Holland-Wilkinson headed past Williams and into the far corner – his first goal for the youth team. Little over five minutes later and the tricky Hulme drew a magnificent long range save from Cottam, but despite Bury’s possession, the visitors gave away little in the way of clear chances. Indeed, something special was required to level matters and Shotton was the man to provide it – he teed himself up 20 yards out in the final minute and found the top left corner with a brilliant strike. Either side could have won in stoppage time, Brannigan going closest for PNE but the sides would have to settle for a draw – the third Bury and North End have played out in normal time this term. PNE line-up: Cottam; Dooley, Williams, Blanchard, Lewis; Nolan, Pollard, Jolly, Bennett, Holland-Wilkinson; Brannigan. Subs not used: Kirnon, Lombard, Huddart, Leigh, Finley.
Preston North End U18 0 Bury U18 2 please log in to view this image Preston North End’s FA Youth Cup run ended with a 2-0 home defeat to Bury at Deepdale. Second half goals from substitute Bright Amoateng and a second shortly after from Femi Sekiri gave former North End defender Ryan Kidd’s side a place in the last eight of the competition. The Lilywhites’ Academy manager Nick Harrison had named an unchanged team from the one that thrashed Norwich City in the fourth round, with Ethan Walker having recovered from the knock that took him off early in the previous Deepdale tie. And it was a bright start from the young Lilywhites. Five minutes in Walker picked up a clever ball from Jack Baxter, drove into the box and shot, but Sam Allardyce – grandson of his former North End defender namesake - did well to block and Louis Potts couldn’t get the rebound on target under pressure. Potts was again involved shortly after holding up a long ball from Lewis Earl well and finding Walker, who pushed inside from the left before unleashing a low left-footed effort, but Bury keeper Mark Edwards-Williams got right behind it and holds on. Kidd’s side’s first chance came just before the quarter hour mark as Seriki did well on the right-hand corner of the box for Bury, bursting into space and shooting across goal, but Lincoln McFayden got in a vital block to concede the game’s first corner. Just before the half hour mark Jimmy Corcoran made an important save to deny Shakers skipper Jimmy Adams, but the follow up was passed back to him three yards out and he picked it up giving the visitors an indirect free kick six yards out, which Adams again took, but the PNE backline blocked superbly to keep the game goalless. Just before the hour mark skipper Adam O’Reilly was hauled down 25 yards out, just to the right of the ‘D’. Walker lined up the free and curled it over the wall, but just over the left-hand corner of the bar as well. But on 63 minutes the visitors went ahead. Substitute Amoateng had only been on the pitch four minutes when he collected the ball in the left corner of the box, drove inside and fired an arrowed ball right-footed into the bottom right hand corner. And within two minutes they had doubled that lead. Amoateng this time turned provider, going down the right, to the byline, before cleverly pulling the ball back to the penalty spot to where Sekiri was well-placed to calmly stroke the ball into the empty bottom left corner of the goal. Allardyce had a glorious chance to finish the game off, when the ball fell to him on the penalty spot unmarked, but the centre half shot tamely and Corcoran claimed low to his left. Four minutes were added on, with O’Reilly and substitute Jolly both having efforts as the home side looked to mount a late comeback, but it was Bury who held on and booked a home quarter-final tie against Liverpool or Wigan Athletic. PNE line-up: Corcoran, Simmons, Coulton, Baxter, Earl, McFayden, Dolan, O’Reilly (c), Potts (Brannigan, 77), Pollard (Jolly, 66), Walker. Subs not used: Ngongo, Cottam, McManus. Bury line-up: Edwards-Williams, Hatton, Jones, Hulme, Allardyce, Shotton, Adams (c), Skinner, Brown (Amoateng, 59), Hill (Copping, 72), Seriki. Subs not used: Ondoa, Jones, Collins. Attendance: 1,024 Referee: Mr A Bannister
2018/19 Player Of The Year Awards: The Winners please log in to view this image Ben Davies was the winner of two trophies at the end of season Player of the Year awards, picking up the Sir Tom Finney Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards. The winners were as follows: Sir Tom Finney Player of the Year: Ben Davies Players’ Player of the Year: Ben Davies Young Player of the Year: Jordan Storey Goal of the Season: Alan Browne vs Bolton Wanderers Scholar of the Year: Adam O’Reilly Community Player of the Year: Louis Moult The awards were presented in the Invincibles Lounge after the final home game of the season, an entertaining 3-3 draw with Sheffield Wednesday. Ben Davies played in 39 games this season, scoring once, whilst further establishing himself in the heart of PNE’s defence The PNE academy graduate was given the main award by manager Alex Neil and Davies wasn’t the only defender to receive an award, with his centre back partner Jordan Storey picking up the Young Player of the Year award. Storey enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, having previously only played 17 career games. After being patient in his wait to come into the North End side, he took his opportunity and went on to make 27 appearances for PNE. Alan Browne won Goal of the Season for the second campaign in a row, this time for a volley scored against Bolton. Having won Goal of the Season last year, Alan Browne repeated the achievement with his spectacular volley in a 2-2 draw with Bolton at Deepdale – his long-range strike against Cardiff taking the prize previously. The PFA Community Champion and Preston North End Community and Education Player of the Year awards were won by Louis Moult. Louis Moult’s exceptional work in the community didn’t go unnoticed as the striker picked up two awards for his work away from the pitch, with his efforts with the Foxton Centre in Preston even reaching national coverage. In what has been his best season to date, having made his first team debut, PNE U18s captain Adam O’Reilly won Scholar of the Year for the second year in a row.
