Four-star Latics master elements

Photo: Pictures by ALAN HOWARTH

OFF THE MARK: Jabo Ibehre stoops to conquer as he heads home his first goal for Athletic.

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Athletic 4, Coventry 1

THE fair-weather fans were conspicuous by their absence, but Athletic's foul-weather football inspired those who braved the elements.

It was hearty fare from Lee Johnson's side against a wretched Coventry outfit ravaged by injuries and a lack of stomach.

As high winds swept across the pitch, 3,224 fans were buffeted inside the old ground as Danny Philliskirk's starter preceded Jonathan Forte tucking in to his two-goal main course.

There was a heavily deflected palate-cleanser from Sky Blues teenager James Maddison in between Forte's tasty double, while the just desserts were served up late in the game by Jabo Ibehre's meaty header from a delicious Genseric Kusunga cross. Athletic were tasty, tasty, very very tasty.

Greedily hogging the ball to dictate the play and clinical in putting chances away, Johnson's side were far superior to their opponents.

Steven Pressley's side is in big trouble after this sixth defeat in seven games.

The two men in the middle excelled for Athletic. Danny Philliskirk buzzed and probed in support of the front two and captain Liam Kelly sniffed out danger regularly to set moves in motion.

It took nine minutes for Oldham to open the scoring. Philliskirk picked up possession in acres of space close to the edge of the penalty area, cut inside to his right foot and hit a low shot from 20 yards which screwed under the arm of Ryan Allsop.

With the wind behind them, Athletic dominated the ball and territory.

In the 29th minute Forte had his first of the night. Jordan Willis dallied as the ball approached him, Forte nicked it away cleanly and homed in on goal before side-footing neatly past Allsop.

He made it look easy. And after 17-year-old Maddison, on his full debut, had pulled one back with a 20-yard free-kick, Forte tucked into a second slice.

This time it was Ibehre laying on the invitation, a deft touch from the borrowed Colchester striker

setting Forte over the top.

A quite brilliant first touch gave Forte the chance to race into the box and slot home once again with his trusty left foot.

By the time that third goal had gone in, Mike Jones had forced Allsop to tip a 40-yard downwind free-kick on to his own crossbar.

The game could have gone very differently had Shaun Miller not wasted a great chance in the 48th minute, hitting against a post with the goal at his mercy. Had it got to 3-2, the visitors may have pushed hard for an equaliser. Instead Athletic strangled the game.

Coventry sent on two players with recent Championship experience, Marcus Tudgay and Simeon Jackson, but the front two looked well short of fitness and had minimal impact.

Jones struck a free-kick that Allsop had to claw out and Athletic substitute Poleon headed over from point-blank range when a lesser touch would have seen him score.

Then came Ibehre's header from Kusunga's centre from the right flank, and the tin lid was on Athletic's latest three-point haul – a third in succession on home soil.