Recurring nightmare

Photo: Pictures by ALAN HOWARTH

GO FOR IT . . . Conor Wilkinson shrugs off the challenges of two Yeovil defenders.

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Yeovil 2, Athletic 1

THE most infuriating club side in football was at it again at Huish Park.

A goal up at half-time thanks to Carl Winchester's neat strike against the run of play and a howling wind, it looked like it would be a straight battle of hope versus expectation.

The hope was that Athletic would grasp destiny and finally see out three points against a side propping up League One to jump to within a point of the top six. The expectation was that failure would ensue. Yeovil were a whisker away from netting in the opening half and the suspicion was that a crumble in the land of apples was just a couple of mistakes away.

Two defensively-diabolical goals and an avoidable red card later, Athletic had found their customary way to confirm worst suspicions. Talk of getting into the play-offs seems like empty bar-room boasting at times like these.

On a bright but gusty afternoon, it was that scourge of Athletic, James Hayter, who came off the bench to net a scrappy winner in added time after previous scorer Joel Grant had been allowed to crash the ball forward with his shins in the penalty area. The defending was hesitant and poor.

Had Brian Wilson been on the pitch at the time it might not have happened. He was sent off for two bookings, the first of which came after a needless minor scuffle near a touchline, the second after trying to halt a counter-attack, which failed thanks to the clever advantage played by referee Lee Collins - the bravest and best call he made on an odd afternoon's officiating.

To his credit, as substitute Rhys Murphy nodded home what appeared to be an equaliser seven minutes after the 90 had been played, Collins blew for a foul very quickly and before ball had touched net. Where the foul occurred was another matter.

Truth be told, though, Dean Holden's side didn't have the intelligence nor the strike power to argue their play merited a draw.

Yeovil played a rutted pitch far better. While Athletic barely got in behind the defence at all down the sides, Terry Skiverton's team were strong in the air and quick in the tackle.

Athletic were second best from the off. Holden named an unchanged side to that which won 1-0 at Port Vale and to be charitable, perhaps it that giant pitch had taken some of their vitality.

Yeovil's uncomplicated approach pinned back Athletic and set-pieces were a worry with men like on-loan Fulham giant Stephen Arthurworrey lining up to throw themselves around.

Dominic Poleon hinted at later indiscipline when needlessly shoving glove-sporting full-back Nathan Smith in the chest and Kieffer Moore should have done better than put over his header from eight yards when slightly on the stretch for it.

Without doubt, Winchester's goal was the moment of class in the whole match. Forte ran the right channel from a throw-in, the ball was fed inside to Mike Jones and his clever flicked pass around the corner allowed Winchester to adjust and shoot home on the turn across Scott Loach.

But Athletic couldn't get themselves going. The widespread frustration perhaps manifested itself in Wilson's first booking for a mutual collar-grabbing bout with Josh Sheehan.

The second yellow came 16 minutes later and with Adam Lockwood off the field, Athletic were always going to struggle for the point.

One team, one recurring nightmare. Against the current bottom four sides in League One, Athletic have taken two points in seven matches. As for upcoming opponents Barnsley, they have won five in a row.

Athletic probably stand a better chance on Saturday than they ever did here.