Taggert fury at Brooke injury

RYAN Brooke is clattered by goalkeeper Andy Lonergan while scoring the only goal of the game.

Athletic 1 - Preston 0

GERRY Taggart was distinctly unimpressed with the role played by Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan in Ryan Brooke’s serious ankle injury.

Athletic’s assistant boss remonstrated angrily with North End manager Darren Ferguson and later confronted the ’keeper as the teams left the pitch at half-time.

The incident, an apparent studs-up challenge which occurred in the moment that Brooke put Athletic a goal up five minutes before half-time, marred a game which otherwise contained more promise for player-boss Paul Dickov ahead of the start of the npower League One season at Tranmere on Saturday.

“You set out to make sure your players don’t get injured,” said Taggart. “And I don’t think there was any need for a ‘keeper to come out like that.

“I will have to see it again on the video and maybe I have over-reacted a little bit.

SERIOUS

“But when one of your players is lying writhing on the ground, and when it is someone like Ryan Brooke, then you know it is a serious thing.

“We have lost Brookey and he is going to be a big player for us this season.”

Athletic started the game against their Championship opponents with an experimental line-up.

An un-named trialist featured at right-back and went on to put in a bright and positive performance, while the neat-and-tidy Djeny Bembo-Leta gained his first pre-season start for the first team up front alongside Brooke.

There was little action of note until the first half burst into life when Dale Stephens struck a powerful 25-yard free-kick which had Lonergan scrambling.

Moments later, Brooke stole a half-yard on his marker to plant a header which looked like giving Athletic the lead, only for Lonergan to produce a terrific close-range reaction save.

Stephens also stung Lonergan’s palms with a shot directed straight at him, but it was the ’keeper’s legs which were the talk of Boundary Park soon after.

Chasing a long ball from Reuben Hazell, Brooke slipped the ball under Lonergan’s body from a tight angle to open the scoring.

But as he did so, he was caught by Lonergan’s boot – and from the way he was moving on the ground, there was no doubting that Brooke was in a serious amount of pain.

Matthew D Carr replaced Hazell at half-time, with the centre-back feeling a tight Achilles.

Jason Jarrett had to be alert to clear a dangerous cross from North End winger Paul Parry, before Jarrett in turn was robbed by Chris Brown who shot wastefully wide of Dean Brill’s goal.

Kirk Millar achieved the dubious distinction of gaining a booking after one of a number of meaty challenges in the game, before Sean Gregan – the former North End stalwart – got a great reception from both sets of fans on making an unexpected return to the Athletic side following an ankle problem.

Carr produced an excellent saving tackle on Paul Coutts as Preston searched for an equaliser and Kelvin Lomax was grateful to see his deflection off Keith Treacy’s cross land near enough to Brill for the Athletic goalkeeper to gather.

Jamie Proctor missed a great late chance for the visitors, slicing badly wide when clean through on Brill’s goal.