Cousins on song to deny PNE
Last Updated: August 18, 2012 7:37pm
Cousins: Put in a great performance
Mark Cousins prevented Preston from avenging last season's opening-day defeat to Colchester after the two sides shared a 0-0 draw at Deepdale.
John Ward's team won 4-2 at the same ground 12 months ago, however it was North End who could have scored four this time around.
Nicky Wroe's emphatic free-kick would have given Preston an early lead were it not for the fingertips of Cousins.
However, the hosts were fortunate to keep 11 men on the pitch after Jeffrey Monakana escaped with just yellow for a late challenge on Cousins, with the 'keeper responding by stopping the former Arsenal midfielder's driven shot on the stroke of half-time.
Monakana and Cousins resumed their battle after the restart, as the keeper brilliantly turned the latter's curling effort around a post, before saving well from Scott Laird.
Colchester midfielder John-Joe O'Toole shot tamely into Thorsten Stuckmann's hands, but it was always North End who looked the more likely to score and Cousins was once again called upon to stop David Amoo from bagging a winner late on.
Matches
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npower League 1
Table
npower League 1
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 84 |
| 2 | Bournemouth | 46 | 83 |
| 3 | Brentford | 46 | 79 |
| 4 | Yeovil Town | 46 | 77 |
| 5 | Sheffield United | 46 | 75 |
| 6 | Swindon Town | 46 | 74 |
| 7 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 71 |
| 8 | Milton Keynes Dons | 46 | 70 |
| 9 | Walsall | 46 | 68 |
| 10 | Crawley Town | 46 | 68 |
| 11 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 67 |
| 12 | Notts County | 46 | 65 |
| 13 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 64 |
| 14 | Preston North End | 46 | 59 |
| 15 | Coventry City | 46 | 55 |
| 16 | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 55 |
| 17 | Carlisle United | 46 | 55 |
| 18 | Stevenage | 46 | 54 |
| 19 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 51 |
| 20 | Colchester United | 46 | 51 |
| 21 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 48 |
| 22 | Bury | 46 | 41 |
| 23 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 41 |
| 24 | Portsmouth | 46 | 32 |
