I've said it but why can no one else? Yeah there's no need to bring it up in the match programme but he still did it, that will never change. This is a quote from Oldham Athletic's website in his profile,

quote

However, Hughes left the game due to personal reasons prior to the 2004/05 season, returning when he arrived at Boundary Park prior to the Carling Cup tie with Burnley on August 28, 2007.

Personal reasons? He was in prison, it was hardly his choice to leave the game. It seems silly of Oldham to skirt around what happened like that. It'd be interesting to see what the families of those who died or were injured in the accident think of his personal reasons for leaving football.

Anyway on to the match. It's a good thing we won Tuesday's game in extra time because we would have been hammered in a penalty shoot out. We had two penalties given to us in the first half, admittedly the second of which didn't look like a penalty, and as far as I could tell no one was appealing for one. Aaron McLean took the first one, he'd missed 3 in 3 before today, and predictably the goalie saved this one. At least he had caused the first goal, the high deflection from his shot sending it over the goalie. Mackail-Smith stepped up for the second one, McLean wasn't going to get a second shot with that record, and then he hit the post! Fortunately McLean converted the rebound. We need to work on penalty taking because getting a penalty is practically a gift of a goal.

We got sloppy after going 2-0 up and that allowed Oldham back into the game, they scored their first just before half time and the second about 10 minutes into the second half. The game became a free flowing attacking game with virtually every run forward by both teams resulting in a shooting oppurtunity, but neither could make the final touch count. We had two shots fantastically saved by their goalie who shouldn't even have been on the pitch and they had a shot cleared off the line by Zakuani with an incredible block.

The referee, as most are at this level was absolutely dire. He had handed out 6 yellow cards by half time, one of which should have been a red and one just because a player got injured in the tackle. The ball was won cleanly and it was only when he fell over that he got injured, no foul involved.

Still it's 16 games unbeaten so bring on Leicester next week!

Next Game Attending

Leicester v Posh
20/12/08
Walkers Stadium

other peterborough united lee hughes oldham athletic football