Hibernian 3-3 Preston North End

It was the fans version of the Charity Shield on Saturday as the IFA Cup Winners Hibernian, played the IFA league winners Preston N E. This match was to confirm the winners of (the what ever were going to call it trophy) and was to be played over two legs.

Having sacked a few recently and suspended another couple only 8 of us made this trip. Asking a few locals if they wanted to play for PNE when we arrived at Edinburgh Railway Station was quite funny, I think one of the guys thought we were the real PNE LOL. Unfortunately they didn't take up on the
offer, maybe I should have asked some Barcelona fans who were there to watch the Hearts V Barcelona game but my Spanish isn't that good so I let that one go!.

So it's a big thanks to the Hibs manger for lending me two of their fringe players to make us up to 10. Having watched the England V Scotland game and the Hibernian V Bury IFA Cup final I have learnt one thing, you can't give these guys to much room or they will destroy you LOL.

I have also noticed that they like playing from the back so I told my front lads to push on to their back four and see what happen. Going 2-0 down after 15 mins wasn't the start I was looking for LOL and kind of told me my plan wasn't working LOL. But as Rudyard Kipling said; "you can call yourself a man my son when everybody around you is losing the plot", or something like that LOL.

Anyway I decide to stay with it as I felt my front lads are always capable of scoring and within 15 mins left of the first half one of my midfield players lads drove forward, played a quick one two with
Chambers and buried the return pass into the bottom left hand corner of the Hibs net, game on!.

Ten mins later Chris Chambers did a Denise Bergkamp taking a long cross field ball on one foot and volleying it home with his other. I don't think any of us could believe it at half time and within 15 mins of the restart the impossible turn into a possible has they same player flick home
another cross this time with his head to make it 3-2 to us.

Hibs then through the kitchen sink at us and, we were kicking the ball of the line for fun, but it just had to come for them and in the very last minute their big centre half powered an header into a crowded penalty area which was flicked home by another Hibs player much to the delight of the Hibs team. The last few seconds went on for ever LOL before the ref finally blew his whistle and called it a day.

There were hugs and back slapping from all players it had been that sort of game. It was great contest worthy of the two teams who had won their respective titles last season. However, and if Hibs don't mind I have to give credit to my lads, they never known when their beaten and to hold a team like Hibs to a draw after being 2-0 down is a fantastic performance. More importantly however the way the game was played was, it was hard but fair and it must have impressed the people watching

Thanks to Graham and the Hibs lads for the facilities they provided and the way their team played, they are a good side and he's promised me that all his big guns will be out in force for the return leg, which I think is a compliment to us or should I start worrying now LOL.

It was well worth the effort to get up there and even the though the game was played at a fast pace it was played in fantastic spirit by every player. After the game we went to watch the Hibs V Middlesbrough game before sampling some local amber nectar and then on the way home we had the pleasure of sharing our train carriage with a hen party from Lockerbie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When it's your day it's your day.

Regards

Steve PNE