Deepdale depression. Why did I bother?

Enckelman helpless after gaff

Instead of staying home and pulling out my toenails I turned up at Deepdale ready for another humbling.

It wasn't 6 - 0 this time but to see City lose 3 - 0, against 10 men for a large part of the game with Quinn reckless in giving away a penalty, a defence beaten by the pace of the biggest lump in the football league and then a moment from Enckelman that rates up there with his biggest gaff (the o.g. at St Andrews).

Overall the stats show City have a decent amount of possession and efforts, and like the home game last week if some of the chances had gone in then it would have been a different game. But they didn't and in the end it was a solid beating that left the 600 or so travelling fans unhappy and a feeling that "the wheels are coming off".

We are still in a play off place but two defeats in consecutive games and all the off field problems means that immediately it becomes a crisis.

The lack of strength in depth is showing with players in the side yeaterday who are just not good enough. Two of them, Enckelman and Quinn the cause of two of the goals.

Why?

The games was 0 - 0 when Enckelmann collected the ball in the box, he went to distribute but a fuss went up, the linesman was flagging and after consultatiuon with the ref a penalty was awarded for Quinn's shove on a Preston player. 1 - 0 Preston.

City may have had a way back. Paul Coutts was sent off for a 2nd yellow card with well over 30 mins to play but the next meaningful action in the game saw the 10 man side take a 2 goal lead. Man mountain Jon Parkin outshining the defence to score his second goal.

City looked to get forward but it was one of those game where it wasn't going to happen for them. Chances were created but a keepr in form, a defence willing to block everying and gilt edged chances like Bothroyd through on goal with just the keeper to beat went begging.

Then it turned into the Peter Enckelman show. A routine clearance from a backpass went horribly wrong as he stubbed his toe and the ball ran to Chris Brown. Enckelman, startled at first, attempted to run back to his goal but Brown chipped the Finn and 3 - 0 it was.

City face Middlebrough next Saturday at the Cardiff City Stadium. A fans protest march is planned before the game to call for a vote of no confidence in the board and Peter Ridsdale in particular. Things are not well at the moment, decent results and staying in play off contention was keeping most people onside - just, with results starting to slip then the voices of discontent will get louder and louder.