Memory match: Preston North End v West Bromwich Albion, September 2006

Patrick Agyemang produced a stunning matchwinner when Preston beat West Bromwich Albion at Deepdale in 2006.
Patrick Agyemang turns upside down to fire Preston's winner against West Bromwich Albion with an overhead kickPatrick Agyemang turns upside down to fire Preston's winner against West Bromwich Albion with an overhead kick
Patrick Agyemang turns upside down to fire Preston's winner against West Bromwich Albion with an overhead kick

An end-to-end midweek clash had somehow stayed goalless until the 78th minute when the striker produced a moment of magic.

From just inside the box, Agyemang executed a perfect overhead kick which delivered three points and moved North End up to fourth place in the Championship table.

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PNE boss of the time Paul Simpson admitted the goal had ‘blown his mind’.

His Baggies counterpart Bryan Robson went as far as to describe it as a ‘great goal’ as he rued missed chances at the other end.

Missed chances might have done Carlo Nash a disservice, the Preston keeper having produced two wonder saves to deny Nathan Ellington and Martin Albrechtsen.

Those saves came shortly before Agyemang stole the show at the other end.

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PNE getting the better of Albion came three days after a home win over Cardiff.

The six points gathered shot them from mid-table up into the play-off places.

It was the Baggies who had the better of the first-half play, striker John Hartson missing a golden chance when he sent a header against the bar from inside the six-yard box.

North End’s best chance of the half fell to Agyemang when Simon Whaley’s pass sent him clear.

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He raced into the box but saw his low shot hit the legs of Albion goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuhler.

At the start of the second half the Lilywhites had plenty of defending to do as Albion came at them.

Nash dived at full stretch to tip a shot from Nigel Quashie past the post.

Then Zoltan Gera fired wide when he should have hit the target.

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But it was in the final stages that the action really began to hot up.

When Ellington let fly with a shot from fully 35 yards, Nash sprang to claw it out of the top corner.

Soon after, Albrechtsen was denied by Nash from much closer in, the keeper making a one-handed save on the line.

Cue Agyemang to step up and make the headlines.

Chris Sedgwick picked up possession and weaved his way towards the box.

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He appeared to be tripped a yard outside but on the floor, managed to poke the ball to Agyemang.

With his back to goal, the No.9 flicked the ball up with his left foot and produced a superb overhead kick with his right, the shot bouncing once on its way in.

Deepdale erupted, the PNE players rushing to Agyemang to celebrate in front of the Alan Kelly Town End.

After that there was still more defending to do as the Baggies chased an equaliser.

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But North End held firm to earn the three points and delight Simpson.

“It just blows your mind away when you see a goal like that,” said the North End boss.

“I don’t know where it came from, I don’t know why he thought he could it.

“It’s not something I could show, I couldn’t demonstrate that sort of thing in training.

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“Probably only Patrick would have the nerve to try it and think it could be done.

“If you are ever going to show a textbook overhead kick, I think Patrick is the one who performed it.”

Simpson was not exclusive in his praise for Agyemang.

He also lauded Nash for his heroics.

“Carlo made some vital saves, the one which changed the game for me was the one-handed save on the line. The ball just seemed to stick to his globe.

“We responded to that in a positive way.

“Instead of going under and starting to panic we went forward and it was from there that we scored.

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“The game was a fantastic advert for the Championship, with two teams wanting to win it.

“I think both sides should be applauded for the amount of effort they put in.

“Right through our team you have to applaud every player.”