Latics lose with a whimper

Photo: Alan Howarth

PAYING THE PENALTY: Athletic go two goals down as Tom Bradshaw sends Joel Coleman the wrong way with his spot-kick.

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Walsall 2, Athletic 0

THE SHACKLES stayed on as Athletic limped to another sorry defeat, failing to register a single shot on target in the process.

Classy Tom Bradshaw netted twice for the Saddlers in the first half - and his side was rarely troubled.

Carl Winchester's introduction at half-time produced some threat, until the instruction went out from the canny Walsall bench to mark him.

Athletic were, for the most part, thoroughly barren creatively. All the best chances belonged to the far more incisive Saddlers and Jordy Hiwula and Sam Mantom could easily have added further strikes to the tally.

Both of Walsall's goals had a whiff of contention about them. The first had a hint of offside and the second angered manager Dean Holden, back at the stomping ground on which he began the season as a player.

Holden felt the penalty award for Bradshaw's 20th goal of the season was harsh on Liam Kelly, who appeared to win the ball before taking the man. Athletic's captain also appeared to have been fouled down the other end of the pitch seconds earlier.

Referee Darren Sheldrake was responsible for some other comical decisions too, which left Holden and his opposite number Dean Smith exchanging smiles.

But Athletic's manager can only have been raging inside at his team. In two-thirds of the field Athletic's work was solid enough; where it counts - in the attacking third - it was rotten.

This non-performance might have cost Holden a chance of getting the manager’s job for next season.

Some have criticised the set-up of one main striker. This time it was the ineffective Rhys Turner, but with Conor Wilkinson back at Bolton and Jonathan Forte out injured there is no real focal point available to the manager.

Nor is the squad blessed with wingers capable of getting behind defences and providing crosses.

In mitigation, Holden's tactical hand is very much shaped by what is available.

And Walsall's defence, superbly marshalled by James O'Connor, is one of the best in the division at home.

Athletic were up against it from the moment Bradshaw got his eye in, pulling a shot wide in the fifth minute after a neat exchange with Adam Chambers.

A short corner led to Walsall's opener. Hiwula, who impressed with positive runs, played a pass on the counter-attack and Bradshaw raced through a hole in Athletic's back line. The finish past Joel Coleman was a mark of class, lifted gently over him.

Athletic's supporters made their own fun with plenty of inventive fancy dress on show, but their team was two goals down and out of the contest in the 24th minute. Kelly played the ball when challenging Mal Benning, but referee Sheldrake gave the penalty and Bradshaw hammered it home low down the middle as Coleman dived to his left.

Winchester started to probe as Athletic started the second period strongly, but as Turner twice failed to pull the trigger when well placed, Athletic remained resolutely shot-shy.

Mike Jones hammered one 10 feet over the bar from the edge of the area, Turner and Poleon worked the ball well until a move broke down inside the box and Connor Brown tumbled theatrically to the floor trying to win a penalty. These moments were as good as it got for Athletic.

Ex-loan man Mantom struck a shot a few feet wide after another incisive move and Hiwula, freed down the middle, tried to embarrass Coleman with a cheeky chip.

The goalkeeper stood tall again - but not many of his team-mates could be as proud of their part in Athletic’s whimpering loss.