Athletic from hell to heaven in one inspiring step

Date published: 04 March 2015


Port Vale 0, Oldham Athletic 1

IT WAS as ugly as sin at times and it had to be, but Athletic's tussle with striker Tom Pope and his congregation ended up with temporary boss Dean Holden earning his penance.

Thanks to a sumptuous Mike Jones free-kick three minutes from half-time and the resurrection to the side of Adam Lockwood, Holden banished his demons. Three days on, this was a world away from the brief hell the coach-turned-boss experienced after a 4-0 defeat by Preston.

Holden's Athletic is casting a thought or two towards play-off paradise once again. Key men Carl Winchester and Jonathan Forte were fit again and did much to drive the visitors forward as they sought to end a three-game losing streak.

The first barrier was passed successfully, with Athletic avoiding conceding in the first three minutes for the first time in four matches.

Forte should have netted when connecting sweetly with a Dominic Poleon cross in the 13th minute which he blazed high and wide.

With Winchester a menace winning and driving the ball forward and Lockwood organising at the back, Athletic barely had a scare in the opening 45 minutes - despite home manager Rob Page's two very potent wingers, Byron Moore and Mark Marshall.

Ryan Inniss's far-post header, easily caught by Jake Kean, was as good as it got for the home side.

Three minutes before half-time, Forte drew a foul in a central area around 30 yards out. Jones must have been in half a mind to deliver a cross but instead chanced his arm to smash in a brilliant power-laden effort, which dipped and flew past Chris Neal before he could get across to his left-hand post.

Athletic's performance was controlled and Vale were being mainly kept at arm's length.

In the second half, as Holden implored his men to try to stop playing so deep defensively, there were scares. Connor Brown cut infield with purpose in the 54th minute and shaped a fierce drive towards the far corner with Neal hurried into tipping it over the top.

At the other end, James Wilson slid in right in the nick of time after Brian Wilson's false touch had threatened to allow Ben Williamson a clear run. Williamson put his head in his hands two minutes later as the impressive and commanding Kean pulled off a miracle of a left-handed stop from his close-range header. And seconds after that, Pope was equally as disbelieving as the outstanding Brown leapt to clear his goalbound header off the line.

It was fraught, then, as uncomplicated Vale used the aerial prowess of Pope and Williamson to its fullest effect by flinging the ball into their orbit at every opportunity.

In truth, though, the better chances of the latter stages were Athletic's. Substitute Conor Wilkinson's welcome return from injury included an assist, with Danny Philliskirk's low effort saved by the legs of Neal, then a goal for himself. Set down the middle, perhaps it was a lack of recent action that allowed a defender to steer the on-loan Bolton man off the ball before he could shoot.

Five minutes of no-nonsense defending later and the game was seen out without Kean being further extended.

Those who doubted Athletic's resolve after Preston should clearly have had more faith.

Click here for Matthew's pitch-side report