Latics hit the buffers

Reporter: by MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 13 August 2014


Oldham Athletic 0, Middlesbrough 3


ATHLETIC were expelled from the Capital One Cup at its earliest stage as Middlesbrough handed out a hard lesson in every facet of the game.

The ambitious Championship club turned up at SportsDirect.com Park from the first minute to the last.

A brilliant strike in the first half by Luke Williams followed an early period of dominance from Boro.

And even though Lee Johnson's men recovered to some sort of respectability after half-time, a mass switch-off which led to the second goal three minutes after the resumption from Grant Leadbitter will lead to lines being written out in the next training session.

“I must not lose concentration” is the motto Athletic's defence must adopt. In this game and at Colchester, preventable goals have been conceded.

The third came on the hour mark, as substitute striker Kike turned the screw with an effort full of La Liga class, twisting, tormenting and turning in off a post.

Athletic were too ponderous, too pedestrian and plain negative at times in the opening 45 minutes.

Aitor Karanka's side, by contrast, charged into every tackle with great hunger and showed quality going forward.

And with ex-Real Madrid man Jonathan Woodgate getting a

run-out at the back, they never looked like spoiling their own report card by shipping one in.

In two games played in 2014-15, Boro have yet to concede a shot on target – let alone a goal.

Just as Birmingham failed to penetrate a rock-solid defence in their 2-0 loss on Saturday, so Athletic found no way to test the reflexes of visitors' custodian Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.

William Gros failed to adjust his feet in time to turn goalwards

a cross-shot by Joseph Mills in the 29th minute, George Elokobi headed well over while under heavy pressure in attacking a Liam Kelly free-kick after 76 minutes and in the second minute of added time, Timothee Dieng saw his long-range effort deflect off a defender's back and go behind for a corner.

Athletic must do better – but certainly won't come up against a side of anywhere near this class in their 45 remaining League One contests.

Manager Lee Johnson made five changes to his line-up,

compared to the team which began its season three days

earlier with a 2-2 draw at Colchester.

Operating in a 3-5-2 formation – the same shape as had ended that game at the Weston Homes Community Stadium – Elokobi made his full debut in the centre of defence and showed a zeal for organisation which could prove very useful in the absence of injured club captain Adam Lockwood.

On his right shoulder was Dieng, wearing an Athletic shirt for the first time, while Danny Philliskirk, David Mellor and Gros all came into the starting XI.

Out went Genseric Kusunga, James Dayton, Carl Winchester, Mike Jones and two-goal hero Jonathan Forte.

Johnson has emphasised throughout pre-season that his work on the training ground has been intended to make Athletic tactically flexible.

And a move back to a

traditional 4-4-2 formation came after Boro had gone a goal up – through a stunning strike from Williams.

That was the second time Paul Rachubka had been forced into action in a matter of

seconds. Sandwiched between was Athletic's best moment – a moderate one at that, Gros's miscue – which came after Leadbitter's delicate chip travelled no more than a foot wide, providing a warning shot.

Williams' 30-yard effort was a thing of beauty.

Originating from the left flank, where Adam Reach – who knows League One well from loan spells at Shrewsbury and Bradford – was having a field day, when the ball was played into the England under-20 striker's feet the first touch was true and the second an

unstoppable shot which drew applause from all corners of SportsDirect.com Park.

Two changes were made at half-time as Dayton and Winchester were introduced. Both had an impact down the flanks in helping get Athletic, at least sporadically, on to the front foot.

Boro's second goal was a defensive horror show, with the Wilsons James and Brian both culpable as dangerous winger Reach reacted first to a quick throw-in to pull back for Leadbitter to side-foot home from the edge of the area.

Kike, on two minutes earlier, showed why he is a former Spain under-20 international by exhibiting a finish which oozed class. Expect plenty more goals from him at Championship level this term.

Athletic can only dream of possessing such a talent. But the right ingredients are within the squad for a better collective show than was put on last night.

It is up to Johnson and his players to deliver. There is no better time than the present, with back-to-back home games against Leyton Orient and Port Vale up next.