NELSON'S Paak United booked their place in the National Asian Football Championships with a thumping 6-2 win over Rochdale's Asia FC.

Asia came into the game needing a win but were over-run by a Paak side determined to make it to the Scotland tournament for the first time. Paak's Alam Ghir Anwar, who had failed to impress until now, netted four times to send the Paak fans into dreamland. An early penalty had given Paak the lead, which Majid Ahmed duly converted. With the scores at 3-2 the game remained on a knife edge but a crucial fourth by Paak's Ishrat Medhi eased tensions.

Asia FC had come into their final game having not conceded a single goal. They had drawn against Blackburn United and beaten Preston's Canaries 3-0.

Paak had beaten Blackburn United in their first game, 2-1 and then lost to Canaries 3-0 in their second fixture.

In the other game on the day Canaries knew they had to win and hope for a draw in Paak - Asia fixture. However, they couldn't convert a whole host of clear opportunities against an already doomed Blackburn United. The Blackburn side finally winning 4-1. Goalkeeper Anjum Iqbal was awarded the man of the match for pulling off a string of great saves.

Only eight sides are invited to attend the National Asian Football championships in Scotland and this year a play-off decided who would do so from the North West.

For the previous two seasons Blackburn United have represented the North West in the tournament that attracts sides from all over the UK. In both cases the Blackburn side have not managed to get past the group stages of the tournament.

Paak manager Javed Iqbal said he was confident his side would eventually get though the play-offs, "I always thought we had a very good chance. It was just a matter of getting my best side out."

"We'll give it a go in Scotland and I think if we play like we did in the latest fixture we won't go far wrong."