Off Topic Friendly thread 2018

Possibly something to do with the family in Emmerdale

 

Colne 2 Under 18's ish 1

 

A Premiership double header at Deepdale on Saturday and Monday against two sides who both play in Claret and Blue, first up West Ham United who we last played in a competitive game in 2005 on a neutral ground in Cardiff.
They won 1-0 ball crossed in from the left hand side Davies and Hill both slip and Zamora shins ball home, and into the top division go the Hammers.

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The Hammers are rare visitors to Deepdale and will prove a good test for us. Last seasons struggles under Moyes are now past they have appointed Pellegrini as boss and have splashed some serious cash this summer paying 36 million for Anderson from Lazio as you do, Wilshere from Arsenal on a free, Fabianski from Swansea, they already had Chicarito, Arnautovic from last season plus our ex Hugill who will not get near the first team squad as a regular.
Still unhappiness over the new Stadium so if they can overcome that they could have a decent season.

On Monday night Burnley arrive suspect this will be a lower key match given the Clarets are due to play Aberdeen in the Europa League on the following Thursday.

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Finishing were they did to qualify for Europe was a remarkable achievement for them and credit is down to Mr Dyche for this, he's put together a decent squad to compete at the top level, don't over spend and have a good work ethic. No major stars apart from Anders Lindegaard the professional substitute once of this parish who has made a good living out of the game by not actually playing. Suspect this will be a fringe side of those who are not likely to be involved against Aberdeen.

The usual mix and match for us before we unleash what will more than likely be the starting eleven at Boundary Park next Saturday, two weeks to the start of the season it's almost here.

 

Preston North End 2 West Ham United 2

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The Lilywhites twice came from behind to draw with Premier League opposition in a thoroughly entertaining pre-season game at Deepdale.

Tom Clarke, with a powerful header, and a stunning strike from Billy Bodin levelled matters after two quality finishes from West Ham United's Marko Arnautovic.

Manuel Pellegrini's Hammers were always going to be much more of a test than the three previous preparatory games, but the confidence of scoring 18 goals in those games was certainly reflected in the performance of the side selected for the first run out in PR1 this campaign.

However, it was the top flight side who took an early lead. A quick free-kick from perhaps the best free transfer of the summer, Jack Wilshere, was played over the North End backline, finding the Austrian international Arnautovic 15 yards out, he took a touch and sent Chris Maxwell the wrong way, before stroking the ball into the bottom right hand corner.

The Lilywhites reacted well to going behind for the first time this pre-season, however, and Louis Moult went close to levelling matters a quarter of an hour in, when Alan Browne swung over a cross from the right to find the No.9 on the penalty spot, but he couldn't keep his powerful header down and it was just over Adrian's bar.

Ben Pearson was forced off midway through the opening period, with Ryan Ledson replacing the No.4, but North End continued to be on the front foot and they were deservedly level after 40 minutes.

Darnell Fisher had been fouled 40 yards out in a right-hand channel and Paul Gallagher put over a deep cross into the box. Clarke rose highest above Issa Diop to head powerfully past the visitors' Andalusian keeper and into the top left-hand corner of the Bill Shankly Kop end's goal.
But United were back in front on the stroke of half-time and it was Arnautovic again. This time, multi-million pound summer recruit from Borussia Dortmund, Andriy Yarmolenko collected the ball on the right hand side of the box, squared it to the No.7 with his back to goal and in one movement he spun and shot a superb curling effort into the bottom right hand corner from 15 yards, giving Chris Maxwell no chance.

Wilshere was replaced at the break and after the interval it was the PNE midfield who dominated the middle of the park, which meant the ball was being won high up the pitch, creating plenty of scoring opportunities.

Five minutes into the second period Browne rose with Declan Rice to meet Gallagher's left footed cross from the left-hand side. The Irishman headed against the defender that took it narrowly wide, but a corner was not given - one of a number of interesting decisions from the assistant in the North End attacking section during the latter half.

Twice before the hour mark the home side felt disappointed not to be level. Firstly Tom Barkhuizen collected a long ball forward, turned inside Rice 20 yards out and curled an effort that Adrian palmed around the post for a corner.

Then shortly after there was a brilliant save from the Hammers' stopper from Browne on the half volley from 20 yards out after superb work and lay off from Moult on the edge of the box.

On the stroke of 60 minutes a corner was recycled by the Lilywhites and after a deep ball Browne put it back in the mixer, before it was cleared out to Daryl Horgan, who with a quick cross found Moult, who fired goalwards and Adrian tipped the ball over, only for a corner again not to be given.

Shortly after, the visitors had a chance to extend their lead after Josh Earl was adjudged to have brought down Ryan Fredericks in the penalty area; referee Ben Toner pointing straight to the spot. The West Ham skipper Mark Noble stepped up, but Maxwell guessed the right way, going low to his left to brilliantly keep the ball out and then dive on the ricocheting ball.

With 18 minutes to go, PNE thought it wasn't to be their afternoon as Clarke had the ball in net once again, coolly converting substitute Billy Bodin's cross from the right, but the flag went up for offside; video showing he was three yards onside when the ball was played!

However, they were level with 14 minutes to go and what a strike it was too! Andrew Hughes had come on for his Deepdale-debut and hit a superb 60-yard diagonal from left to right, and Bodin took the ball into his stride with a fantastic first touch, before sending the defender a dummy and firing with the outside of his right foot into the bottom right hand corner from 12 yards - it was a great piece of play that brought the crowd off their feet and was the very minimum of what the team deserved for their performance.
And they had chances to win it as well. With seven minutes to go, another substitute Sean Maguire took a brilliant touch on the right, drove in, saw his cross blocked, it came back to Bodin, who again saw a driven ball blocked, but it was good pressure by PNE.

The visitors, with their quality, were still dangerous and a Robert Snodgrass cross and a Toni Martinez header three minutes from time brought the best from Maxwell, as he tipped the ball onto and over the bar.

But the best and last chance to win the game came in the 89th minute as Bodin shot across goal after a good bit of control from Ledson's through ball, but the effort driven just wide of the left hand upright, when if it had been six inches to the right it would have been another stunner, but it was not to be and both sides ended up with a share of the spoils after a really entertaining afternoon.

PNE line-up: Maxwell, Fisher, Earl (Hughes, 65), Pearson (Ledson, 20), Clarke (c), Davies, Horgan, Gallagher (Harrop, 77), Moult (Maguire, 77), Browne, Barkhuizen (Bodin, 66). Subs not used: Rudd, Robinson, Johnson, Storey, Woods, Burke, Huntington.

West Ham United line-up: Adrian, Diop (Ogbonna, 79), Arnautovic (Martinez, 75) Snodgrass, Obiang, Fredericks, Noble (c), Wilshere (Saksumanovic, 46), Yarmolenko (Holland, 65), Masuaku (Zabaleta, 79), Rice. Subs not used: Trott, Cullen, Samuelsen, Coventry.

Attendance: 5,960 (940 West Ham United fans)

Referee: Mr B Toner

 

Lost 3-2 to Burnley Harrop and Robinson for us

 

Preston North End 2 Burnley 3

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North End came out on the wrong end of another entertaining pre-season encounter, losing by the odd-goal in five to Premier League side Burnley at Deepdale.

Josh Harrop opened the scoring for PNE, firing low into the bottom left hand corner of the goal mid-way through the first half, only for Aaron Lennon to level matters with a driven effort from just inside the box shortly after.

The Premier League outfit put themselves ahead for the first time with 17 minutes to go when substitute Dan Agyei headed home, but Callum Robinson responded two minutes later after some excellent combination play with Sean Maguire.

But the winner came six minutes from time with an excellent strike on the half-volley by Dwight McNeil from 25 yards out, giving the visitors the result.

The game had a bright opening, with both clubs playing at a high tempo and showing good touches. The East Lancashire side had the first chance, when Irish international Jeff Hendrick had a shot from 15 yards out after a knock down from a corner, just wide of right hand upright.

A good break by Maguire from half-way saw the No.24 drive at heart of Clarets backline 19 minutes in, laying the ball left to Robinson, but his curling effort was too high to test Heaton.

At the half’s midway point the visitors were denied by two superb bits of defending from PNE. Sean Dyche’s side had broken down the left, with the ball fed into Sam Vokes 12 yards out. The Welshman looked to have found the bottom left hand corner, but for an excellent block by Lilywhites’ skipper Paul Huntington.

The ball came straight out to former Everton man Lennon 15 yards out, who fired a vicious drive goalwards, but Declan Rudd had got back into position and made a superb two-handed save, with Ben Pearson tidying up.

And this paid dividends two minutes later as the home side went ahead. This time Graham Burke went down the left, feeding the ball across to Maguire. He shaped to shoot, driving back inside, sliding the ball across to Harrop, who found the bottom left hand corner of the Burnley captain’s goal from a right-hand channel, 15 yards out.

The lead lasted three minutes as Burnley created an overload down the left, the ball being pulled back from the left-hand edge of the area to Hendrick, who fired goalwards. Huntington again make a fine block, but this time Lennon found the top right-hand corner from 18 yards on the rebound to level matters.

With the game approaching half-time some excellent build-up play by Daniel Johnson and Andrew Hughes carved out a chance for Callum Robinson, who turned away from his marker well, before curling an effort from the edge of ‘D’ that had Heaton back-pedalling, but it was just onto the roof of his goal. Then moments later, fellow Irish forward Burke dragged a shot just wide of the left hand post after a good ball in from Harrop.

Just before the break Ben Mee had a real chance to send his side into the interval ahead, as he met Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s left-wing inswinging ball, but his flashing effort was just wide of the right hand upright from 12 yards out.

North End came out of the blocks at real pace in the second half and had the ball in the net just two minutes in. An excellent spin and run from Robinson from half way then saw him fire goalwards from 20 yards out – Burnley had made a change in goal at half-time and Adam Legzdins made a fantastic block, but the ball fell to Maguire who stroked home from six yards out, only for the linesman’s flag to correctly go up, as the No.24 was a yard offside when the initial shot had come in.

However, chances came quickly at the start of the half as Burke and Maguire both saw 25 yard strikes blocked by England international defender James Tarkowski in the space of 30 seconds – all before the 50 minute mark.

Ten minutes into the second half and the visitors changed their entire outfield side, with their thoughts clearly on their Europa League tie, just three evening’s away.

As the second period reached its mid-point the home side won their first corner, from some trickery by substitute Billy Bodin, but from Harrop’s outswinging cross, the Welshman, who had won the crossing opportunity, dragged his snap-shot wide of the Town End’s left-hand upright.

But it was the Clarets who took the lead for a second time with 17 minutes to go as a cross from former Stoke City man Jon Walters found Dan Agyei on the penalty spot and he headed into the top right-hand corner of the goal.

In a reversal of the first half the Lilywhites were the ones who bounced straight back and were level just two minutes later. Maguire picked up the ball 30 yards out and worked himself a bit of room with his quick feet before playing a delightful little ball in between two Burnley defenders for Robinson to burst onto and slide the ball past Legzdins off the inside of the right hand post and into the back of the net to make it 2-2.

Into the final few minutes and North End finished strongly. Robinson again forced Legzdins into a good save, diving low to his right to deny PNE’s CR7 after Bodin had threaded him into the box and allowed him to get off a driven right foot shot.

However, it was Sean Dyche's side who went back ahead six minutes from the end, McNeil with an excellent driven finish from 25 yards on the half volley, after a header put of the penalty area didn't quite have enough distance on it.

For the third time there was an almost immediate riposte as Ryan Ledson nearly opened his PNE account, seeing Kevin Long make a fine block to deny his goalbound strike after some quick thinking by Daryl Horgan to take a quick corner, however, the equaliser didn't come and the game ended 3-2.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Woods (Fisher, 71), Hughes, Pearson (Ledson, 59), Huntington (c), Storey, Burke (Bodin 63), Johnson (Moult, 72), Maguire (Horgan, 80), Harrop (Browne, 71), Robinson. Subs not used: Maxwell, Earl, Clarke, Davies, Gallagher.

Burnley line-up: Heaton (c) (Legzdins, 46), Lowton (Taylor, 55), Cork (Kioke, 55), Tarkowski (Goodridge, 55), Mee (Walters, 55), Gudmundsson (Wells, 55), Vokes (Bardsley, 55), Hendrick (Long, 55), Westwood (McNei, 55), Ward (Agyei, 55), Lennon (Dunne, 55). Subs not used: Benson, Younger.

Attendance: 4,934 (872 Burnley fans)

Referee: Mr P Bankes

 

And then there was one and so off to Oldham we go luckily this match is being played in July before the Arctic tundra freezes up in Oldham this usually starts at the beginning of August.

History

Oldham Athletic Association Football Club (nicknamed Latics) is a professional association football club based in the town of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England] The team compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and play home matches at Boundary Park.]

The history of Oldham Athletic A.F.C. begins with the founding of Pine Villa F.C. in 1895, playing in the Manchester and Lancashire leagues. When rivals Oldham County F.C. folded in 1899, Pine Villa F.C. moved into their stadium and changed their name to Oldham Athletic.[6] They were Football League runners-up in the 1914–15 season but were relegated from the Football League First Division in 1923. They reached the 1990 Football League Cup Final and won the Football League Second Division title in 1991, ending 68 years outside the top tier of English football. They secured their top division status a year later to become founder members of the new Premier League but were relegated in 1994.

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Since then they have had several instances of cash related problems over the following years some sources have indicated that they have another winding up petition pending.

New manager Frankie Bunn took over in the summer but has suffered a blow when midfielder Fane was ruled out for the majority of the season.

A few experienced players such as Gerrard and Clarke, plus Jose Baxter who can be decent providing he passes all end of game tests, plus a few French lads. Last played them in a friendly two years ago following a tackle during the game Calum Woods was basically ruled out for the season.

Interesting team selection suspect won't be far from the starting eleven for us.

 

Won 3-0 at Oldham Moult, Horgan and Gally

 

Oldham Athletic 0 Preston North End 3

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Goals from substitutes Louis Moult, Daryl Horgan and Paul Gallagher gave Preston North End a victorious end to their pre-season campaign.

Alex Neil's Lilywhites built up to their opening league clash with Queens Park Rangers, just seven days away, with a comfortable 3-0 win at Boundary Park.

Moult coverted nicely from Graham Burke's left wing cross five minutes after the break and Horgan from 25 yards and Gallagher - a rebound after his initial penalty had been saved - finished off the preparations in positive fashion.

The first half was a stop-start affair, with over 20 fouls given by referee Graham Salisbury, giving it no real flow, 16 of those given away the hosts, illustrating their aim to try and stop North End playing.

But it was the Latics who created the best of the early opportunities, full back Rob Hunt testing Declan Rudd from 20 yards and then trialist Ismael Miller drilling a shot just over the bar from outside the penalty area.

However, despite the close attention of the Oldham midfield and their rigid shape, chances did start to come the way of the yellows as the half wore on.

On 20 minutes a good break saw Callum Robinson nick the ball in midfield, drive forward and cross deep from the left for Darnell Fisher, who unfortunately sliced just wide on the stretch, close to scoring his first goal for the club.

Ten minutes before the interval Tom Barkhuizen used his pace to break down the right, glided into the box and drilled the ball across, Robinson stretching, but just inches away from the ball.

Before the break Josh Harrop was brought down 20 yards out in a left-hand channel by Christopher Missilou. Harrop himself stepped up to take the free kick, but found the wall with his effort.

Having already changed Sean Maguire mid-way through the first half with Moult, Rudd, Barkhuizen, Alan Browne, Harrop and Paul Huntington were replaced at half-time by Chris Maxwell, Horgan, Tom Clarke Graham Burke and Ryan Ledson.

And the start to the second half was a positive one for the visitors with Andrew Hughes overlapping down the left, collecting a ball from Robinson, only for Daniel Iverson to smother the effort behind for the game’s first corner.

Five minutes into the half and the scoring was opened by North End. A quickly taken free kick by Clarke found Robinson. He played a ball with the outside of his boot down the left for Burke, who whipped an appetising ball in from the left and Louis Moult smashed the ball first time past Iverson – a well crafted goal from the yellows.
Louis Moult’s confidence was clearly boosted by the goal as on the hour mark he tried an audacious effort from the left 35 yards from goal that had the goalkeeper back-pedalling and flicking the ball over the bar for another PNE corner.

The second came on 68 minutes and it was s stunning strike, this time from Horgan, who picked up the ball from Fisher, ran at the Latics defence and unleashed a powerful 25 strike that beat Iversen and came off the right-hand upright and into the back of the net.

No.9 Moult almost added a second with nine minutes to go, seeing a shot blocked on the line by substitute Stott after Horgan’s cross in from the left following a crisp and precise cross-field ball by Gallagher, who had come on with 20 minutes to go.

The final few minutes saw a PNE onsalught and after two previous strong shouts for a penalty, Billy Bodin was upended in the box and Paul Gallagher scored, but only at the second attempt after Iverson had made a good initial save from the experienced midfielder.

Oldham Athletic line-up: Iverson, Hunt, Graham, Clarke (Hamer, 77), Taylor (Stott, 46), Nepomuceno, Missilou, Gardner, Branger-Engone, Coke (Maouche, 83), Miller (Benteke, 46). Subs not used: De La Paz, Sheridan.

PNE line-up: Rudd (Maxwell, 46), Fisher (Woods, 70), Hughes, Pearson (Gallagher, 70), Huntington (c) (Clarke, 46), Davies, Barkhuizen (Burke, 46), Browne (Ledson, 46), Maguire (Moult, 24), Harrop (Horgan, 46), Robinson (Bodin, 70). Subs not used: Storey, Earl.

Attendance: 1,660 (366 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr G Salisbury

 

The end of this thread, then. Now for the real stuff.