Notts County 0-1 Preston

Another match day, another defeat. It seems almost like Notts County are starting matches a goal down. Today's visitors at Meadow Lane were Preston North End, and despite Notts' overall decent performance, Iain Hume's 74th minute goal was unanswered, and at this stage of our season, we cannot keep throwing points away. Chris Kiwomya's squad suffered several injuries prior to the game, meaning changes had to be made. Fabian Speiss replaced Bartosz Bialkowski, Alan Sheehan filled the centre-back role vacated by Manny Smith, and Curtis Thompson played as a right-back.

Mustapha Dumbuya was slotted in the left-back position. Also, Joss Labadie and Danny Haynes replaced Mark Fotheringham and Yoann Arquin.

The Magpies had to withstand a barrage of shots from Preston, riding high in the league, in the opening minutes of the game. On the 11th minute came the first Notts chance, Greg Tempest curling a shot towards the bottom left corner. This was saved by keeper Declan Rudd.

More Liliwhites chances came knocking in the ensuing period, Stuart Beavon and Keith Keane firing just over.

On 22 minutes, some good passing set free Adam Coombes, but he fired wide.

On 33 came the next big moment, Speiss having to be sharp to thwart Beavon's strike following a defensive slip-up.

Preston would get increasingly physical as the game went on - Haynes was impeded on 33 but nothing was given, while just a few minutes later, Kevin Davies went in with an elbow on Sheehan. This was only given a yellow card.

On 37, Haynes capitalised on a Preston defensive slip-up, but like Beavon earlier on, this couldn't breach the respective net.

Notts had a good little spell after that, Thompson drawing a foul, and Sheehan's free kick falling to Andre Boucaud. His shot saved, Coombes then headed wide.

John Welsh then launched in with a nasty tackle on 44, for which he was booked, while a minute later, Haynes received a yellow of his own for a foul on Bailey Wright.

Half time out of the way, the second half restarted with Callum McGregor receiving a Coombes pass and firing just over, before later providing a cut-back for Tempest, whose great effort was saved well by Rudd.

On 52, County had the upper hand, a Boucaud free kick testing the Preston defence to the limit and allowing McGregor to come close again.The ensuing corner forced Rudd to make another good save, this time from Coombes.

On 69, Josh Brownhill burst through on goal, but a brave save thwarted him, the rebound from Hume going wide.

Sadly, the substitute player scored just five minutes later, tapping in from close range after Scott Laird beat his marker on the left wing and produced a great cross upon which the finish was applied by Hume.

The rest of the game was virtually all Preston, as Laird, Hume and Keane kept pounding away, but they will be happy with the goal, the clean sheet and the three away points as the final whistle blew on the game.

Frankly, if we can't break this cycle of one step forward and three steps back, the final whistle will be blowing on our spell in League 1.