Preston North End 3
Sometimes as a manager you look at what you've got to work with and you think I am on a winner here and that's how I felt as I watched 15 Preston players board the team mini bus on the PNE Car park at the unearthly hour of 5am on Saturday morning. I just knew what team I was going to put out later in the day and I also knew that it would have to be good team to stop us winning and that's exactly how it turned out. As the West Ham boss said "we played some lovely stuff in that first half especially when you consider it was blowing a gale and the pitch was tired and bumpy. Yet it didn't stop us from playing some delightful football and our 3-0 half time lead was no more than we deserved.
In the second half we weathered an early spell of West Ham pressure and that was basically game over. So a massive thanks to all the players that made what turned out to be a memorable day out for everybody concerned, especially with our senior team winning 2-1 at Charlton Athletic.
A special mention to the West Ham lads who took defeat with a the spirit this league is played in and an extra special mention to the West Ham Manager who gave us an escort from East london over to South London so we could get to the Charlton game in time.
Thanks again to everybody concerned who made this trip, it was a day none of us will forget for a long time.
PNE team;
Tom
Johnny Pne
Martin
Alex Higgins
Mike Wilson
Jason Dodwell
Stephen Cowell (Capt)
Chris Chattell
Andy Dodwell
Stuart Bolton
Alan Cookson
Subs
Dezy Nugent
Simon (Peschi) Rudkin
Jimmy Grimble
Atky
Preston Scorers;
Jason Dodwell
Stu Bolton
Martin.
Preston Man Of the Match: Jason Dodwell
View from West Ham (from an Email to Steve Cowell
No problem Steve.
You've got a great bunch of lads playing well as a team, and the players I on the day couldn't match your lot. Against any other team, we might have been in with a shout but your disciplined team work, plus the fact your lads warmed up properly, that enabled you to get off to a good start and you played some lovely stuff.
Despite being 3 goals down we always felt we were in with a shout in the first half, but needed that early goal in the second to enable us to claw ourselves back. As you say we didn't get it and some of the old legs ran out of steam towards the end.
I was pleased to hear you won in the afternoon. A good day out for your lads and good luck to you. You deserved it.
Thanks again for the superb PNE pennant, personally addressed to me and signed by Preston & England Legend, Sir Tom Finney. I'm so proud of it that it's something I'll treasure long after my playing days in this West Ham team have finished.
Cheers
Gary
West Ham iFc