Latics hand it to Grayson

Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 25 August 2014


Preston 1, Athletic 0

All hail unlucky Athletic. It will turn around soon. Stick to your principles...

Preston manager Simon Grayson joined in this chorus on Saturday night.

“We didn’t match Oldham’s energy levels, we’ve got to be braver and stronger, we’ve got to solve problems better on the pitch - but we’ve got to remember we won the match,” Grayson said. “I want my teams to play the way Oldham did, with a purpose.”

And I want the moon on a stick. Take your three points and spare us the pedestal.

Hearing this stuff after a defeat is the pits. Everybody at Athletic has by now had enough of patronising pats on the head.

They are treated with encouragement, like a puppy - but it's time Athletic started barking, growling and biting.

This team (with a total of only two yellow cards all season) is too pleasant. The early roll-over and tummy tickling happened in the fourth minute here from another set piece. Tom Clarke climbed above Jonson Clarke-Harris, the ball rebounded off George Elokobi’s leg and Jack King smashed home the rebound.

Athletic is a team still under construction, but don't let anyone tell you this side can’t play.

Preston, third in the table, were taken apart in the second half. Athletic’s crisp passing and patient approach work was excellent, with Carl Winchester in particular picking and probing.

But the finishing touches were as shoddy as a cowboy builder’s. There were three efforts on target from 12 shots. That takes the season total up to 11 efforts to trouble goalkeepers, from four games.

Clarke-Harris has netted two goals in his last 28 games for Athletic, both at Bradford last season.

Twice here he fluffed second-half headers when he should have worked Jones.

It is unfortunate that the pressure to score is weighing so heavily on the shoulders of Clarke-Harris. His workrate and attitude are beyond reproach.

Athletic again started the game sluggishly. After King’s emphatic finish, the extra power of the home side provoked worries that Preston would run away with the contest.

Clarke-Harris hit one drive which deflected a foot over the top but in general, the opening period was a scrappy affair. Athletic at least gave as good as they got.

Half-time provoked a sea change. Athletic swarmed all over Preston, with sporadic counter-attacks the best Grayson’s side could manage.

A handful of jeers rang out from the travelling supporters when one Athletic charge lost its momentum briefly. The same move ended with Joseph Mills crossing and Clarke-Harris failing with his half-chance header.

Athletic pressed on. Forte was a whisker away from latching onto a Clarke-Harris flick-on, but little was falling invitingly for the visitors. Johnson cut an increasingly kinetic and exasperated figure in the technical area.

Athletic deserved better, but life in League One isn’t all cupcakes and magic sprinkles.

Get tougher in both boxes and the points will flow as quickly as the kindly post-match comments dry up.