13th December 1999 

Hotte out for 3!
Ritchies thoughts on PNE loss

ATHLETIC are heading for disciplinary problems after having defender Mark Hotte sent off at Preston on Saturday. Hotte's red card was his club's first of the campaign and could mean he will miss three matches over the Christmas and New Year period. 

Athletic are hoping the report sent in by referee Paul Danson will describe the incident — which led to Preston's penalty winner — as "preventing a goalscoring opportunity." That would mean Hotte escaped with a one-game ban, but his sentence will be trebled if Danson cites "serious foul play". Whatever the case, the 21-year-old is definitely out of the Boxing Day clash at home to Scunthorpe. That makes it urgent that either Stuart Thom, who is just getting over a broken collarbone, or back-injury victim Richard Graham recovers quickly. Manager Andy Ritchie would otherwise have to call on the untried Paul Jones or rookie Ben Futcher as emergency cover. But that isn't the only threat hanging over Ritchie as John Sheridan and Matthew Tipton are close to suspensions of their own. Five yellow cards bring an automatic one-match ban and both players have so far collected four. All of Sheridan's have been in Nationwide League games, but Tipton is paying for indiscipline in the reserves. Although he has scored seven times for the second string this season, his record is blemished by three bookings. Athletic do have the consolation of seeing their injury problems ease before the busy festive period. 

Having missed four games with a hamstring strain, Neil Adams played the full 90 minutes as his side bowed out of the FA Cup at Deepdale. Craig Dudley returned as a second-half substitute and is now set for a recall to the starting line-up in Saturday's league match at Cambridge. Ritchie said: "Craig was very close to full fitness at the weekend — probably more so than Neil — but I wanted Neil to play so he could give us balance on the right. "I thought Craig might give us something in the last 20 minutes or so. Unfortunately, a couple of minutes after he came on we gave away the penalty."

Danson deals crucial blow in dramatic FA Cup clash

PRESTON NORTH END 2, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1

AFTER a century of avoiding each other in England’s grandest competition, Athletic and Preston finally met in the FA Cup on Saturday. How ironic, then, that their clash at Deepdale should be settled by a single, highly-controversial moment. The final part of the League and cup trilogy between these familiar foes had enough drama to satisfy the hunger for at least a couple more seasons. But Mark Hotte’s 69th-minute challenge on Bjarki Gunnlaugsson tilted the match irreversibly towards the home side — leaving Athletic with both a two-goal deficit and their first sending off of the season. There was no alternative once referee Paul Danson had decided Hotte dragged back Gunnlaugsson as the Icelander went clean through on goal. The professional foul inevitably brought a red card before Graham Alexander calmly tucked away what proved to be the winner. When Athletic themselves scored, grabbing a lifeline with just five minutes left on the clock, the fall-out from Hotte’s desperate challenge became all the more damaging. Preston may again have been the better side in this latest Lancashire derby, but the visitors played a full part in a stirring third-round tie. There were chances at either end and plenty of flowing moves as, for the third time in four months — and the second time in a week — the two rivals went toe-to-toe.

When opponents know each other so well, stalemate can often ensue. But not here. This was a good, old fashioned, cup-tie. From an Athletic viewpoint, the great shame was that they again came off second best. Yet Preston, it should be remembered, are arguably the best side in the second division. Wigan may be keeping them out of first place, but the Deepdale outfit have a superb recent record and several players who would do well at a higher level, especially Jon Macken, Ryan Kidd and the one-man task force, Sean Gregan. The beauty of their game is its simplicity. Without becoming predictable, they stick to a tried and trusted formula which makes them impressive in all areas of the pitch. Athletic’s task was to upset that rhythm and, with Neil Adams back from injury, manager Andy Ritchie’s answer was to match them man for man. Just as Preston play 4-4-2, so did Athletic. The usual sweeper system disappeared and Adams did an excellent job in bolstering the midfield. In defence, Athletic strived manfully to contain the dangerous home attack. Macken — surely Athletic’s bogeyman after breaching them yet again — worked tirelessly at pulling people out of position, while Gunnlaugsson’s strength made him a real handful.

Individually, the rearguard didn’t fare too badly. As a unit, however, their tenacity couldn’t quite compensate for the gaps which were frequently appearing. Until Adams snatched the visitors’ late consolation, it was a familiar story of failing to turn possession into goals. Adams provided the width they have recently been lacking and the four best chances — culminating in a last-minute Paul Rickers header which looped inches off target — all came from crosses. In reaching the third round, Athletic had kept clean sheets against both Chelmsford and Swansea. It took Macken all of six minutes to ruin that perfect record. Preston’s top scorer had already threatened Gary Kelly’s goal when his clever volley forced a save by the post. From the resulting corner, Gunnlaugsson had a shot blocked on the line and Macken pounced to claim his 15th of the season — four of them against Athletic — from a yard. Preston had made a fine start, but Athletic fought stubbornly to get themselves back into the match. After 18 minutes, they produced one of the moves of the day to find Rickers in space on the edge of the box, only for the midfield man to shoot straight at goalkeeper Teuvo Moilanen. Athletic then carved out a golden opportunity thanks to Andrew Holt, who sprung clear down the left after one of his many forays forward. Holt’s cross was perfect for Steve Whitehall, but the striker’s header from six yards was too close to Moilanen — three feet either side and it would have been a certain equaliser. Holt himself headed on to the roof of the net after more wing trickery, this time from Adams, while John Sheridan went close with a free-kick. Having equalled their opponents stride for stride, Athletic had now taken the upper hand.

But that was to prove their best spell of the game and the fact that they failed to capitalise — just like in the previous week’s League meeting — spoke volumes about the two teams’ fortunes so far this season. Kelly tipped over David Eyres’ piledriver as Preston roared back. And the action continued unabated early in the second half when Eyres had penalty appeals waved away after a jinking run. Athletic came agonisingly close in the 57th minute, Shaun Garnett’s shot from a right-wing corner being hacked off the line by Alexander. Craig Dudley, who was not considered fit enough to start, made a welcome return as a 66th-minute substitute, but Athletic’s hopes were shattered three minutes later by Preston’s penalty. Hotte got himself into bother by misjudging a long ball and, when a clearance eventually came back at him, Gunnlaugsson escaped down the middle. The pull-back appeared clear, but that did not stop a flood of Athletic protests. Perhaps Macken was offside and interfering with play when the ball was hit over the top. Perhaps Hotte was unlucky to see red. Perhaps the foul was outside the area. Perhaps it wasn’t a foul at all. Whatever anyone’s opinions, Alexander made no mistake from the spot. And fortune did, in fact, favour Athletic shortly afterwards when Gunnlaugsson had an effort ruled out for the narrowest of offsides. Preston were beginning to cruise home when Athletic were handed their unlikely lifeline. Adams, on the corner of the area and with few options in the middle, tried his luck with a right-foot drive which was an easy catch for any goalkeeper. But Moilanen allowed the wet ball to slither embarrassingly through his grasp and, as it bounced over the line, Athletic were alive once more. Rickers’ last-gasp header had Preston’s hearts in their mouths, but it was to be the only near miss of the closing stages. Athletic had made an honourable exit and, after three defeats in three attempts, they are no doubt glad to see the back of their Lancashire rivals.

Ritchie again counts the cost of missed chances

ANDY RITCHIE was a frustrated man after seeing Preston complete a quick hat-trick of victories over Athletic. The Boundary Park manager felt his side controlled the match but tumbled out of the cup because of the same old failings. “We were the better side,” Ritchie claimed. “Preston only had the first 10 minutes of the game while we created good chances — but again without putting them away. “I’m not decrying our lads, but Preston have five top-quality strikers who are all proven. “That point showed again, although we played better than last week and we can take heart from this performance. “We kept possession and passed the ball around well. Preston are one of the best sides in our division, but we should have had something from both our games here and that’s encouraging. They seem to have the Indian sign over us. “The dressing room was down afterwards, but there were no raised voices. We just had a good discussion about how we’d played.”

Although Ritchie was unhappy with the decision which cost Athletic both a goal and a player, the penalty incident didn’t leave him fuming. He said: “My main complaint is that they had a player in an offside position. He was coming back, but he was only two yards away from the ball, so I reckon he must have been interfering with play. “Mark Hotte held Gunnlaugsson back just before he got to the box and I thought he might have got a foot on the ball. “He did catch him, though, and he was gutted after the game. “I also thought Gary Kelly was impeded when he went for the corner which brought their first goal. “But you accept things like that because they can work either way. Those decisions are just swings and roundabouts.” Preston’s David Moyes also thought Athletic were unlucky not to earn a replay, or even a win. “Oldham were never going to roll over. They should take credit for playing well,” Moyes acknowledged. “They made life very hard for us and we got our goals at the right times. “Overall, we were poor today so it’s nice to be through to the fourth round.” Preston’s reward was a tie away at either Reading or Plymouth Argyle.

Preston 2 Oldham 1

Bogey team Preston did the hat-trick over Oldham and so too did that man Jonathan Macken. Yet this time the dividing line between success and failure for both team and striker was wafer thin. Macken will be thankful Andy Gray’s computer gadgetry wasn’t called in to examine his fourth goal against the Latics in three meetings and his 15th of the season so far. Was the ball already over the line when he scooped it into the net? Or should either Bjarki Gunnlaugsson or skipper Sean Gregan have claimed it for the contact they made? And, if referee Paul Danson had capped a blue-tinged afternoon by allowing another three or four minutes stoppage time with North End under the cosh, would Oldham have taken this first FA Cup tie between the two clubs to a pre-Christmas replay? We will obviously never know. But it was touch and go on both counts. Three games and three victories is a pretty emphatic record against Andy Ritchie’s side. But Preston have not really been up to speed in any of the derby matches. So to come away with six League points and a fourth round tie at Reading or Plymouth suggests their name could be written in capital letters all over this season. Manager David Moyes admitted his team had not been at their best on Saturday, yet they still won.

“We were poor overall,” he said later. “But if you are winning games when you aren’t playing well it can’t be bad.” Oldham may be only three points above the drop zone, but they have given North End a difficult time in all three meetings this season. And this cup tie was the closest they have come to bringing down their high flying North West neighbours. Only gutsy defending, especially by central pair Michael Jackson and Ryan Kidd, prevented it happening. Latics will be kicking themselves they didn’t do better with an in-swinging David Eyres corner in the seventh minute which cost them the opening goal. They will also be stinging over the second from the penalty spot when it could have been argued Mark Hotte’s cynical pull on Gunnlaugsson’s shirt sleeve began a few yards outside the box. The Icelander finally toppled over when he was inside. And, although there could be no argument about the red card Hotte was shown for an obvious professional foul, a free kick rather than a penalty might have made all the difference. Before that, Shaun Garnett’s shot in the 56th minute might also have made a difference had Graham Alexander not been in exactly the right spot on the line to clear it.

And when Tepi Moilanen threw the Latics a lifeline six minutes from time with his third You’ve Been Framed howler of the season, it set up a desperate scramble at the death during which Oldham threatened to take their tormentors to a fourth meeting in five months. But all’s well that ends well. And the Moyes’ boys live to fight another day in what will be their 11th cup tie of the season on January 8 – with a 12th already booked the following week against Hartlepool in Round Two of the Auto Windscreens Shield. Latics boss Ritchie had put his players on ex-Red alert for their third meeting with dangerman Macken after his goals had won both league games between the two sides, two of them only the week before at Deepdale. “Stop him and you stop Preston,” was how he saw it. Yet, within seven minutes of the game kicking off, the product of Manchester United’s academy was taking the applause of the Town End with his now familiar goal salute and the Oldham defenders were looking at each other as if they had seen a ghost. Macken had won a corner when he very nearly toe-poked the ball into the top corner at full stretch from a huge kick upfield by Tepi, but Gary Kelly managed to turn it over the bar. When Eyres swung the flag kick into the heart of the goalmouth, Kelly and Lee Duxbury both failed to get it clear, Gunnlaugsson’s hurried shot clipped Gregan on the back of the boot and rolled towards the goal and, just as it crossed the line MACKEN emerged from in the net to spin round and make sure. North End’s top scorer had a chance to make it two after 16 minutes, but he didn’t make a clean connection when he tried to flick it over the keeper and the moment was lost. Twice Eyres went close with a vicious volley which flashed across the face of goal and a rocket from outside the box which Kelly acrobatically turned round. Oldham’s Paul Rickers and Steve Whitehall both fired straight at Tepi after good approach play, Andrew Holt put a header on to the roof of the net and John Sheridan brought a fine fisted save out of Tepi.

The visitors finished the first half with a stranglehold on North End. But despite four consecutive corners in stoppage time they failed to find a way through. Macken was desperately close to extending Preston’s lead four minutes after the restart, but he turned a header wide of the post from barely six yards. And referee Danson refused what looked a decent penalty shout after Eyres went down in the box on a mesmerising run. But it needed a superb goal-line clearance by Alexander after Tepi had fumbled a cross to prevent Latics pulling level in the 56th minute. Just 12 minutes later, the visitors were two down and it all looked over barring an uncharacteristic late collapse. Kelly kicked upfield, only for Jackson to head the ball strongly back towards the Oldham box. Mark Rankine was running back from an offside position and made no attempt to go for it. But Gunnlaugsson set off in pursuit. The striker took the ball on and had only the keeper to beat, but Hotte started to yank at his shirt sleeve as he neared the area and continued trying to pull him back as he crossed into it. One final tug caused Gunnlaugsson to tumble and referee Danson immediately pointed to the spot and produced the red card. Up stepped ALEXANDER to convert his fourth penalty in the last 12 games to give North End a 2-0 lead. Kelly’s fingertips flicked the ball away from Eyres’ head from an Alexander cross and Rankine had a strong shot saved by the Preston-born keeper.

Then Gunnlaugsson was denied what would have been a quality goal on 82 minutes when he brought down an Eyres’ cross on his head and chest and crashed it home only to have his celebrations rudely interrupted by an offside flag. With seven minutes to go Moyes swapped his strikers, putting on Kurt Nogan and Alex Mathie for Gunnlaugsson and Macken. But, within 60 seconds of the change, Oldham pulled a goal back. An attempted clearance by Rob Edwards fell for ADAMS on the edge of the box, his shot looked to be covered by Tepi, but the ball slipped through his gloves like a bar of soap and bounced into the bottom corner with the big Finn flinging himself into the net in a vain attempt to claw it out. It might all have been forgotten if Mathie’s touch had not let him down with only Kelly to beat with a minute to go. But at the other end, with Oldham piling forward looking for the replay, it took a timely block by Jackson to prevent a possible equaliser. And in stoppage time, Latics very nearly grabbed one when Rickers’ header flashed just wide. Another win, Preston’s sixth on the trot in all competitions, means Moyes’ side have been beaten only once in their last 20 games – and that by Arsenal at Highbury in the third round of the Worthington Cup. Since then they have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, second round of the AWS and gone joint top of Division Two – not bad for a team playing below their best!