Jordan Ali's super hoops made the long trip up north to play Preston North End and keep their unbeaten start to the season intact. With a squad of 15 making the trip they lined up like this. GK : Rob
RB : Orville LB : Frange
CB : Tina & Peewee
RM : Kier LM : Mungo
CM : Riz & Hef
S : Jordan & Jamie Subs : Tom Dearden, Jack Dearden, Daffy & Tranmere Rich Paul Frangi made a return to the starting line up with Orville, Peewee and Tweena remaining at the back for the 3rd game running. There was pace along the flanks with Mungo and 2Touch on the left and right with the ever steely Riz and Paul Martin who plays his first game since the end of last season in the centre of the park. Up front Jamie was partnered with Jordan to cause problems for Preston with both their movement and touch. 1ST The game kicked off with both teams looking to keep the ball and pass it around. ASB were first to really start moving the ball around with interest and quality with Riz and Paul trying to link the strikers with both wide men, but the smooth and wet surface made the ball look like it was on an ice rink. Preston were not creating anything and the only thing the hooped back four had to deal with was the occasional diagonal long ball which Peewee and Tweena dealt with easily every time. ASB were starting to become impatient and the defence were starting to by-pass their midfield eager to produce the killer ball or send a chip down the channel for one of the strikers, this only resulted in the ball flying off the surface away from the attacker. Even if the ball did get to an attacker a Preston defender would be there to put in an over zealous challenge or crowd him out. The first real chance fell to Mungo on the half an hour mark when some neat passing and moving allowed Jordan to get the ball near the right side corner flag, he twisted and turned his man inside and out before putting in a near post cross which Mungo attacked with full force only managing to put it wide by a few inches. For the next 15 minutes both defences dominated play until a ball up the Preston right was tracked back by Riz who used his strength to gather the ball off the on coming attacker and slide it back to Tweena who in turn slid it to Frange, this led to a four man sweeping move up the left channel in which Mungo beat his man and put in a wicked cross which was diverted for a corner. This was the move of the match and it really deserved a striker to be on the end of it to make it 1-0. Just before half time the visitors had a run of corner kicks and one whipped in from the left flew straight across the six yard box and no fewer than three ASB players were inches away from the opening goal. 2nd Half At half time ASB had made a few changes. Peewee and Frange made way for Daffy and Richie (on loan from Tranmere), Orville slotted into centre back with Tweena. Also Jack and Tom Dearden replaced Mungo and 2Touch on the wings. With only 3 minutes played in the second half some neat play on the right lead to a low cross by ASB, which the Preston defender used his arm to control in the box, PENALTY. Riz took the ball and placed it on the spot, he calmly slotted past the goalkeeper who managed to get a hand to it but it was not enough to make it 1-0. The visitors tried to keep the pressure on PNE and the midfield again was getting hold of the ball and winning challenges all over the pitch while playing some calm and calculated football. Preston then started to get a hold of the ball and keep possession. A few late challenges were going in from both teams and when one of the Preston attackers went forward he seemed to knock the ball too far in front of himself and run straight into the nearest defender, the ref played on then blew up for a free kick. There was no actual challenge from an ASB player, just a PNE player going to ground. From 30 yards out most people were expecting a cross but the Preston player had other ideas. He hit a lobbed strike at goal and Rob came forward a few yards before realising it was heading for the net, he frantically back tracked but it was too late and the ball dipped under the bar for the equaliser. 1-1. Free kicks were starting to be given everywhere. The Preston goal scorer seemed to be committing terrible foul after terrible foul without any punishment what so ever. This didn't deter ASB at all and they gave as much as they got. Then the Londoners upped the tempo using the wingers pace, and a distinct lack of marking gave Jamie Rosen a chance from the edge of the box and he duly obliged by calmly slotting the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal. 2-1 to ASB and they were starting to play with that famous swagger of theirs. With Preston looking for the equaliser ASB were dropping deeper and when a Preston player came forward on the ASB right, Tweena put in a crunching tackle winning the ball and taking down two men in the process. One of the Preston players in the challenge took it as an attempted assassination and got up to go face to face with the visiting captain who was trying not to laugh in his face. The fiery Preston player was showering Tweena's face with saliva and insults like never seen before. A melee ensued and the ref sent the northerner off for an early shower. But the Preston management just used his exit as an excuse for a substitution and the ref didn't notice so they carried on with the full quota of players on the pitch. The Super Hoops were still trying to grab that extra goal to kill the game off, and a swift counter attacking move through the heart of the home teams defence gave Jamie the chance to seal the victory. He hit a curling effort towards the bottom right corner only for the keeper to make an outstanding save to push the ball onto the post and out for a corner. That really would have been game set and match for the team in the Black and Red hoops. As the game went into the final minute, it looked like all three points were going back down the M6 to London. A hopeful punt up the right wing by Preston was covered by Peewee who had come back on for Richie. He went to hook it back up field, but it just spun off his boot towards the goalkeeper who picked it up. Then all of a sudden the ref blew his whistle. "WHAT" were the words said by most ASB players, pass back claimed the ref. That was never a back pass in a million years; there was never any intention by Peewee to give to Rob. The ref took the ball back to the original kick instead of placing it down where Rob had picked it up. This looked like the final chance for Preston and it was indirect so no doubt there would be someone charging for ASB. The free kick was shifted 5 yards left and two ASB players charged it down only for it to sneak through the only gap available and it kept travelling through everyone until it hit the back of the net. 2-2 and heartbreak for ASB. Most players just couldn't believe that the ref gave the decision in the first place. There was no time left to go forward and it finished 2-2. All in all a good performance from ASB who deserved the three points instead of the one. They still remain unbeaten though and have only let in two goals in three games and both came from set pieces that shouldn't have been. They can go away know that they deserved better. Next game is on the 22nd of October against west London rivals Fulham. Stuart Morley
17th October 2005 | 
