Football: Parkinson on the spot to sink sad City

Manchester City 0 Preston North End 1

JOE ROYLE, the Manchester City manager, currently walking with the aid of crutches after a hip replacement operation, proved an apt metaphor for his side last night. Limp? It was almost flattering to describe them as such.

They surrendered an unbeaten home record to Gary Parkinson's 71st-minute penalty and lost the opportunity to move to third in the Second Division in the process. Indeed, if they had not scored late goals in their three previous matches they would be performing the usual October ritual and be adding the words "in crisis" to the club name.

The defeat means City have not won a match since 12 September, a 1-0 defeat of Mansfield, and the pre-season optimism circulating round Maine Road that this year would be a regal tour of football's outposts has already dissolved. The players were booed off last night and, although there were more than 28,000 at Maine Road, that devotion is unlikely to survive much more disappointment.

If there was a promotion team on view it was Preston, whose neat passing always had the home side stretching, and they would have gone top of the division but for Stoke's draw with Chesterfield. City had the bulk of the possession, particularly in the second half, but they were bereft of ideas once the long ball towards Shaun Goater and Lee Bradbury did not bring reward.

"We didn't keep the ball or pressure them," Willie Donachie, Royle's assistant said, "two of the things we have been doing. I think the occasion was a bit too much."

The closest City came to scoring was after 30 minutes when Preston's goalkeeper, Teuvo Moilanen, made only slight contact with Kevin Horlock's corner and was stranded as the ball fell to Gerard Wiekens. The Dutchman steadied himself admirably, then volleyed against the bar.

That apart, the home team hurled cross after cross towards Moilanen, only to discover that Preston got more secure as the match went on, and the visitors would have secured a more comprehensive victory if they had made more of breakaways in the closing minutes.

Things looked alarming for City from the beginning. After nine minutes, Dominic Ludden peppered Nicky Weaver with a fierce shot from the left and the visitors should have taken the lead after 32 minutes when Kurt Nogan found space on the left. When he passed to Paul McKenna, the winger had time and space on the edge of the area but Weaver stuck out a foot to divert his shot for a corner.

Paul Dickov and Goater responded after the interval with speculative shots and Brown ended a rampaging run with a shot that shaved a post after 59 minutes but it was a sign of City's desperation that Danny Allsopp was introduced six minutes later.

The 19-year-old Australian striker has made a habit of turning games late on and, sure enough, the deciding goal arrived soon afterwards. Except it went to Preston. Nogan passed to Jon Macken, who was tripped by Danny Tiatto as he drew back his foot to shoot. Parkinson's penalty, driven hard into the roof, was virtually unstoppable.

Manchester City (3-4-3): Weaver; Fenton, Wiekens, Vaughan; Edghill, Brown, Jim Whitley, Horlock (Tiatto, 65); Dickov (Allsopp, 65), Goater, Bradbury. Substitute not used: Crooks.

Preston North End (4-4-2): Moilanen; Parkinson, Jackson, Murdock, Ludden; McKenna (Cartwright, 79), Gregan, Rankine, Eyres; Nogan, Harris (Macken, 61). Substitute not used: Appleton.

Referee: M Fletcher (Warley).