Football: TEPID TEPI A CUP CLOWN

FURIOUS Craig Brown ordered his Preston players in for Sunday training after they crashed out of the FA Cup at the hands of minnows Rochdale.

And the blazing boss, whose job could now be on the line after five consecutive defeats, warned them to expect a verbal lashing when they reported for work this morning.

"I didn't say anything in the dressing room after that other than to tell them they would be working Sunday," he stormed.

"I am saving my comments until the morning, but I think they know what to expect."

The 62-year-old former Scotland manager is under real pressure after only half a season in English club football.

His injury ravaged side had already lost their four previous league games going into this cup tie and they showed no signs whatsoever of a revival even though they were facing a team from two divisions below on their own pitch.

Rochdale fully deserved to go into the fourth round hat and player boss Paul Simpson, who claimed the winning goal, admitted he was "proud as punch" with his side's performance.

"People said this was little Rochdale's cup final," he said. "But we at the club felt that was a bit disrespectful.

"Maybe that spurred us on. I didn't need to say anything to the players, they were motivated."

The tie was a tale of three free kicks, all beautifully struck and all ending up in the back of the net.

Rochdale took the lead six minutes before the break after a foul on Lee McEvilly 30 yards from goal.

The Northern Ireland international picked himself up and hammered an unstoppable rocket into the top corner leaving keeper Tepi Moilanen grasping thin air.

Preston pulled level three minutes after the interval when sub Iain Anderson curled a 25-yard free kick round the Dale wall and into the bottom right-hand corner.

But the visitors' response was to retake the lead on 54 minutes, this time Simpson whipping in a free kick from the right of the box towards the near post.

Keeper Moilanen completely misjudged the flight and could only drag the ball back from behind the goal line before Simon Grand followed up to make sure.

Preston threw everyone forward in the last half hour in a desperate attempt to force a replay, but visiting keeper Neil Edwards was in superb form making four crucial saves to keep them at bay.

At the final whistle the home fans booed their side off the field and there were chants of "Brown out" as the manager trudged off down the tunnel.

Later he confessed: "I heard the fans' displeasure at the end and, of course, I have every sympathy with them. I felt like booing too.

"We have been poor in recent games and it's up to me to put that right.

"But this has happened to other managers this season and they have recovered from a losing run.

"I don't think I have ever lost five games on the trot in the whole of my career and I can tell you it's not nice.

"But the players will be in tomorrow, they will hear what I have to say and then we will get on with putting things right."

Brown has been working hard over the past two weeks to bring new faces in after losing his two main strikers and a host of other players through injury.

He is hoping to make at least two signings this week with a front man top of the priority list.

"We need to freshen the squad up," he said. "We can't keep relying on players who are just not coming up with the goods."

In recent seasons, Rochdale's form has been improving and their play-off and promotion has seen crowds come back to Spotland.

But although this season began with plenty of optimism, their form deteriorated quickly and they fell down the table.

Now they have gone eight games unbeaten after that poor start and boss Simpson is hoping the win over Preston can be a springboard for the rest of the season.

"We gave our fans plenty to cheer about today, but now we need to give them something to sing about at home in the League," he said.

"I am claiming the goal - until I at least see the video.

"I am not really bothered if it goes down as mine or Simon Grand's.

"It's a goal for Rochdale and it puts us in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Really that's all that matters."

MAN OF THE MATCH NEIL EDWARDS

Made a string of crucial saves in the second half as Preston piled on the pressure.

PRESTON: Moilanen 6, Alexander 5, Lewis 5 (Anderson 7), Abbott 7, Murdock 7, Lucketti 7, McKenna 7, Broomes 6, Etuhu 6, Healy 5, Skora 6 (Cartwright 6).

ROCHDALE: EDWARDS 8, Evans 7, Flitcroft 7, Oliver 7, Doughty 7, Platt 6 (Simpson 7), Jobson 7, Grand 7, Connor 7, Warner 7, McEvilly 7.

MANAGERS: Brown 6; Simpson 7.

REFEREE: R Pearson 6.

PRESTON ROCHDALE

7 Shots on target 5

11 Shots off target 2

5 Shots blocked 3

9 Corners 3

14 Fouls conceded 13

4 Offsides 1

3 Yellow cards 4

0 Red cards 0

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