Latics well beaten at Walsall

Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 25 April 2015


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http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/10/oldham-athletic-news/91542/latics-lose-with-a-whimper

WALSALL 2 ATHLETIC 0

TOM Bradshaw made it 20 goals for the season as Athletic slumped to another tame defeat.

Walsall's main striker, the classiest performer on the field, registered with a neat finish on the counter-attack before slamming home a first-half penalty as the visitors to the Banks's Stadium were swept aside.

Athletic improved after the break but were unable to test rookie Saddlers goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray once, making it seven matches without a win for manager Dean Holden.

Walsall took control from the off, with Athletic unable to offer much going forward against a resolute defence.

Bradshaw had a sighter in the fifth minute, scuffing a shot which Joel Coleman pushed out, before the classiest act on the field opened the scoring.

Athletic had pushed up for a corner kick and were cut apart on the break. Bradshaw timed his run to perfection off a Jordi Hiwula pass and lofted the ball classily over Coleman to net in the 18th minute.

Six minutes later the lead was doubled. Liam Kelly felt he was fouled seconds earlier just outside the area and as he chased back, he appeared to get some of the ball when tackling Mal Benning. Referee Darren Sheldrake pointed to the spot, though, and Bradhsaw hammered his first penalty of the season straight down the middle.

Athletic's only effort of the first half was a speculative Danny Philliskirk shot from 30 yards which was drifting wide before Craig MacGillivray got behind it.

Hiwula also tested Coleman again with a shot from an agle on the left and Athletic were well up against it by the interval.

With Carl Winchester on for Timothee Dieng at half-time, Athletic started the second half on the front foot.

Mike Jones hammered one shot over the top from 20 yards out but main striker Rhys Turner got little change out of the Saddlers centre-backs.

Kelly produced a couple of well-timed challenges in the box to keep the score down and Sam Mantom pulled a shot wide with the sort of incisive attack the pedestrian visitors failed to muster, while Hiwula tried to dink one over Coleman late on with the 'keeper equal to the task of stopping it.