The deadly silence in the dressing room after the game gave the clearest indication that this was very much a case of two points dropped rather than one gained as Prestwich lost ground in their unlikely promotion chase.
Although the tie extended their unbeaten run to six it was particularly frustrating as they were by far the dominant side for all but a short period of the game.
Playing on the much maligned Hopwood 3G Prestwich were in the ascendancy from the first minute, dictating play and in control of the game. Accrington were well organised though and despite dominating possession the lads were struggling to get in behind a deep lying defence.
Wide men Steve Murty and Mike Neary as ever were a constant threat but having beaten a couple of men they were invariably being forced wide or blocked by a third, and it was striker Dave Thompson who was tasked with supporting regular lone front man Sean Haslam that looked the most likely to make something happen. Having done well to role his man on a couple of occasions Accrington managed to apply just enough pressure to ensure his shot was rushed and off target.
Accrington’s defensive shape saw them concede a spate of free kicks around the edge of the box but the quality of delivery was too often poor with Thompson, David Prieto and Neary all being guilty of trying to score the ‘perfect goal’ lifting the ball over the wall hoping it would drop into the corner but most efforts either sailed over the bar or were to soft allowing an easy claim for the keeper.
Whilst Prestwich were struggling to unpick the Accrington rearguard, defensively they looked solid and assured with Sam Holden and Richard Steadman picking up from where they left off last week with a ‘though shall not pass’ look about them.
With the pattern of the game set it was disappointing to reach half time still level but one sensed that sooner or later Accrington would crack and it was a matter of time before Prestwich’s superiority would result in clearer cut chances and hopefully goals.
Accrington opened up more in the second half and looking a lot more enterprising they enjoyed more lengthy spells of possession in the opposing half but Prestwich still looked reasonably comfortable.
With the game more open now there was more space in behind the Accrington back line and having knocked on the door several times Matty Struminski who had another fine game gave Prestwich the lead on 70 mins bravely getting to a loose ball out on the right hand edge of the box ahead of the keeper to stab it goalwards the ball crossing the line just before a retreating defender could hook it clear.
Having finally got in front an air of complacency set in and Prestwich switched off for what would prove to be a very costly few minutes, a mazy run from just inside the Prestwich half saw a few half hearted attempts to stop the midfielder in his tracks before the ball was threaded through to Accrington’s striker who finished clinically low and hard past keeper Mike Hudson from 10 yards out.
The game really opened up now and a tense finale saw both teams go in search of a winner with Prestwich looking by far the more likely, Holden was desperately unlucky with a bullet header from a corner that just went over, Thompson, Haslam, Prieto and Murty all went close with shots or had powerful surges into the box blocked by last ditch tackles but Accrington held on for the point.
