Latics triumph at Fleetwood

Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 17 January 2015


Fleetwood 0, Athletic 2

ATHLETIC fans produced the chant of the day in a game inspired by the understated brilliance of captain Liam Kelly.

“Cod's not sustainable, pies are sustainable” was the pointed commentary on the merits of the two teams by the raucous travelling party of 1,285 fans.

Braving the M61 ice rink and the sort of temperatures that would make a polar bear shiver, the breadth of the repertoire at Highbury gave an indication of a club with a common purpose.

After the Ched Evans debacle – which manager Lee Johnson says split families down the middle – the players joined in with a whole-hearted and gutsy cause.

But goalkeeper Paul Rachubka had plenty to do on the way to his first league clean sheet since September. He said on Friday he had a point to prove . . . and went some way to doing just that.

Athletic thoroughly deserved this one. Deprived of key players, the team established control in most of the first half and added unlikely strike power in a razor-sharp opening to the second.

Kelly was outstanding. Missed like an absent limb when out injured, the hard-working midfield anchor ran the show, stopping attacks from Graham Alexander's side with crunching tackles, organising his team-mates and setting his side in forward motion.

The 24 year old, as pure and consistent as any at this level, has lost only three times in the league in an Athletic shirt this season.

Carl Winchester wasn't far behind his captain. Positive in intent in taking the game to the opposition, he produced a peach of a strike after 51 minutes to send the visitors in front.

Hitting the net in front of the packed-in Athletic fans behind the goal, the Northern Ireland international enjoyed his goal celebration.

So too did Mike Jones. Shortly after the afternoon’s first burst of hailstones, Dominic Poleon battled his way to win a free-kick a yard outside the penalty area. The midfield man curled the ball over the wall and into the corner. Maxwell had no chance.

Athletic started with three changes to the side which drew with Doncaster. Connor Brown, Poleon and Amari Morgan-Smith came in for suspended Joseph Mills, Jabo Ibehre and the injured Forte.

Johnson's men took command in midfield without carving out too many clear-cut opportunities.

At the other end, Fleetwood only briefly threatened.

A half-time regroup saw the visitors come out at full pelt. Philliskirk hammered a shot that Maxwell did well to parry, before Winchester rifled in and Poleon snatched at a good chance while advancing into the area. Jones made it 2-0.

Relegation candidates, they said when the Evans affair was rumbling on. Athletic will be into the top six if they beat Rochdale tomorrow. Funny old game.