The Potters fans team suffered a heavy defeat in their first ever game, but took away a lot of positives from the learning curve.
Potters can take heart from the fact they were playing the best team there is in the IFA in Preston A, a team who had three league and cup doubles in the past four season, aswell as two 3-day tournament wins in the past three seasons.
City weren't without chances aswell and missed an early penalty, whilst North End's keeper pulled off three world class saves, that wouldn't have looked out of place on Match of the Day.
After keeping the game tight in the eary stages a couple of quickfire goals after twenty minutes nudged North End in front. The first was a superb finish at the near post, the attacker rifling the ball in off the underside of the crossbar before the second followed soon after.
Then came the penalty miss as the young Potters striker did well to control a high ball turn inside the area and dribble through two defenders before he was pulled to the ground. City's penalty taker, from the centre of midfield that dominated the game, even with the scoreline, stepped up and struck his penalty low and to the keepers right but he dropped instantly and held on the spot kick.
The goals continued to flow as the half wore on with four more before the break, mainly due to the pace up front and expert finishing,although the North End keeper was kept busy aswell.
A bit of half time tactics helped the team understand how best to play together and the passing game improved after the break as the opposition keeper was tested more, pulling off one save inparticular that was a powerful effort heading for the postage stamp, but the undoing in the second half was tiring legs as the pace and match fitness showed late on with tired legs and tired minds allowing numerous one on one chances for the hosts, with the Potters keeper managing to keep his fair share out, whilst a couple were cleared off the line by retreating defenders.
All in all not as bad as the score suggests, Preston beat a lot of experienced teams by scorelines like this one and seeing as we only met each other two hours before the start of play, the team can look to the future knowing that we can get give most teams a game once we gel and that sentiment was echoed by the Preston organiser who told us 'not to worry, play like that and you'll win more than you lose'.