Preston North End 1 Bradford City 0

Last updated : 26 April 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Preston ended the season at home on a high with a 1-0 victory over Bradford watched by 13,652.

Preston only lost one game at home in the league in 2003 and captain Chris Lucketti was presented with one of the player of the year awards before the game.

On a disappointing afternoon for Bradford Laurens Ten Heuvel had a free-kick after five minutes which he curled right-footed just over the bar.

Lucketti had a header from a Graham Alexander right-wing right-foot corner which went wide three minutes later.

The only goal of the game came in Bradford's unlucky 13th minute when Richard Cresswell did all the work in a great run down the right and hit a 15-yard right-foot shot which cannoned off Bradford keeper Aidan Davison and Pawel Abbott put the ball into the back of the net from right on the goal-line.

An Eddie Lewis left-foot left-wing corner was fired over by Alexander from long range and Cresswell had another chance when he hit a right-foot shot just wide of the right post.

Just before half time Preston keeper Jonathan Gould made a great save from a Ten Heuvel left-foot shot and Gus Uhlenbeek was booked for a foul on Cresswell on the left wing.

The fourth official signalled six minutes extra but it was 1-0 to Preston at half time.

Ben Muirhead came on for Fraser McHugh for the Bantams at the start of the second half and Cresswell hit a shot against the bar after 52 minutes.

Eighteen-year-old Danny Forrest came on for Ten Heuvel and Erik Skora came on for Paul McKenna for the Lilywhites.

Preston goalscorer Abbot was replaced by Simon Lynch and the booked Uhlenbeek was replaced by Tom Penford.

With ten minutes to go Lee Cartwright came on for Lewis. There were three minutes extra signalled by the fourth official, but the game ended tamely 1-0 to Preston.