Renwick's Watt clinical as Preston hit for five

HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY produced one of their best performances of the season to comfortably beat Preston Athletic 5-1 and strengthen their grip on third position in the Central Taxis Premier Division.

Former Hibs defender and ex-Berwick Rangers manager Michael Renwick is now head coach with Heriot-Watt and he has them playing a brand of fast attacking football which, on the day, Preston could not cope with despite having just as much possession of the ball.

The tone of the game was set after only 35 seconds when Ryan Wilkie won a corner on the right. His short flag kick to the unmarked Aaron James allowed the gifted left-footer to curl a magnificent 25-yard shot into the top corner of the net to give young Preston goalkeeper Jamie Thomson absolutely no chance.

The early strike gave the students confidence and a dipping volley from Erik Thomson was only inches over the crossbar before an accurate cross from James was headed wide by Ewan Watson.

Preston's game plan had to be altered after only ten minutes when Ritchie McCaul pulled a hamstring and had to be replaced by John Kerr. Greg McColl looked as if his 25-yard shot into the postage stamp corner would bring an equaliser for Preston but Dominic Samuel somehow managed to head the ball to safety. Craig Manson and then Craig Scott both squandered opportunities for Preston before Kevin Haynes had a shot well held by Craig Saunders in the Heriot-Watt goal.

Ten minutes before half-time Preston were caught square at the back and Thomson ran through unchallenged to place a low shot from 20 yards past the exposed Preston goalkeeper.

Heriot-Watt retained possession of the ball much better than Preston although the visitors' whirlwind start to the second half should have rewarded them with a goal. First, Manson hit a shot wide, Haynes fired a shot into the side netting and then the striker missed a cross from Gary Docherty in front of goal.

Preston were made to pay for these misses when, on 76 minutes, a James corner was headed home by Samuel. Chris Donnelly and Ross Leask both hit the crossbar before James fed Leask who scampered away from Scott and slipped the ball behind Thomson.

Stuart Miller did pull a goal back for Preston from the penalty spot after a hand ball incident but with time running out a bad touch from Preston defender Paul Leighfield allowed Donnelly an opportunity which he gleefully accepted to hit in goal number five.

The victory, Heriot-Watt's biggest winning margin of the season, has moved them into third position in the Premier Division behind Spartans and Lothian Thistle. "We are now pressing to maintain a top three finish to the season" explained their delighted head coach, Michael Renwick.

"I was very, very pleased with the result because, in all honesty, the boys were fantastic. Everything they were asked to do, they did. We were clinical in front of goals, we defended superbly and we passed the ball magnificently in midfield.

"The first five minutes of each half are so important in a game of football. Our first goal from the corner was straight from the training ground therefore as a coach that type of thing is very satisfying.

"We are a goal threat from all areas of the park and we had five different scorers which proves we're not relying on any one player."

Stevie Myatt, the disappointed Preston Athletic manager, said: "It was criminal to lose the opening goal from a corner. Two of my players stood and watched and none of them reacted allowing their player to put the ball into the back post area unchallenged. It was a weak goal for us to lose.

"The goal knocked us off our stride before we had even started but then we missed three really good chances before we surrendered the second goal.

"We had words at half-time and tried to focus on the positives with some really nice good passing football then we gave away another goal. That third goal won the game for them.

"Losing Ritchie McCaul so early was a blow which meant we had to change our game plan.

"We are trying desperately hard to take something out of the season but we are making it hard for ourselves."

Heriot-Watt University: Saunders, Ferrie, Wilson, Sutherland, Samuel, Fyfe, Wilkie (Donnelly 69), Travis, Watson (Connor, 56), Thomson (Leask 70), James. Sub: Berger.

Preston Athletic: Thomson, Cathcart, McCaul (Kerr 10), Leighfield, Scott, McColl (Laidlaw 77), Manson, Gay, Miller, Haynes, Docherty (Cairnie 72). Sub: Gilpin.

Referee: John Weir.