Killer instinct again Latics’ Achilles heel

DANNY Philliskirk unleashes a shot at the Gillingham goal.

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Oldham 0, Gillingham 0

KILLER instinct in front of goal was again missing as Athletic failed to make their clear superiority count against Gillingham.

Substitute Amari Morgan-Smith wasted the best chance to turn one point into three and give Athletic a four-game winning run.

Meeting Carl Winchester’s cross in the third minute of added time, the substitute fired over the crossbar from six yards. If Athletic are to continue their climb up the table, such glaring opportunities have to be snapped up when they arrive.

Against a limited Gillingham side who came into this game with three straight away defeats, Athletic were solid and composed at the back and middle-third of the SportsDirect.com Park pitch.

Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka had very little to do, other than produce a brilliant reaction stop to prevent Cody McDonald from netting in the 80th minute.

The final whistle heralded a run of four clean sheets in a row for Athletic — the best defensive sequence for eight years.

But they must start to find the back of the net more regularly — particularly at home, in games like this against packed defences.

Even when Athletic got the ball on target. they found former Blue Coat pupil Stephen Bywater in top form.

Athletic look a very competent side all over the field at the moment — bar the non-scoring strikers.

It was at the back that Peter Taylor's side looked vulnerable, giving up possession regularly.

In the first few minutes, the pace of Dominic Poleon in chasing down a ball he had no right to reach caused panic which spread across the Gills back line.

One rushed clearance was crisply half-volleyed at goal by Poleon’s strike partner Philliskirk, but too close to Bywater, before industrious midfield man Mike Jones fired over the top from 20 yards out.

It was one-way traffic. Captain Liam Kelly was one of several to chance his arm, striking a fizzing drive from outside the area which Bywater watched fly only a foot over the centre of his goal.

The closest Gillingham got to scoring in the first half was at the end, when Jermaine McGlashan hit the heights with a far-post leap that resulted in a tame header at Rachubka.

Athletic began the second half with purpose. Carl Winchester, drifting infield to good effect from the right of midfield, hit a shot which had the sting taken out of it by a deflection following a well-worked short corner.

On-loan Bolton forward Conor Wilkinson was joined on the field by Rhys Turner after 64 minutes and it took Athletic some time to regain their momentum. But both had chances to score.

Wilkinson’s was self-created, volleying over the top with his left foot after neatly teeing himself up in the penalty area, while Turner’s opportunity to become a hero came from an astute cushioned pass from Winchester.

Jones also had a 20-yarder beaten out by the stoic Gills goalkeeper.

Morgan-Smith was unable to make it count at the death and it was another case of what might have been for Athletic.