Spot of bother for Athletic’s youngsters

THERE was drama from the spot as Athletic’s youngsters missed out on a place in the Youth Alliance Cup quarter-finals.

They were leading 3-1 against Morecambe when Liam Dawson missed a penalty and, after allowing their opponents to draw level, Athletic then lost in the shoot-out.

Tom Eaves (2) and Dawson were Athletic’s marksmen over 90 minutes, but it was a below-par team performance.

n AS a postscript to Athletic’s short-lived FA Cup campaign, it’s worth recounting the comments of Cheltenham manager Martin Allen.

Struggling Cheltenham won 1-0 at Boundary Park last Tuesday and Allen – who had held a team meeting in a lay-by after his side lost at Hereford the previous weekend – emerged from the dressing room with red stains on his shirt.

e revealed: “There’s no alcohol of course, but when I walked in all the lights went out.

“All of a sudden I was covered in drink, but we all hugged each other. I love them all.

“A few harsh words were said in the Herefordshire countryside, but we beat Oldham with attitude as much as anything else.

“I’m driving back to London tonight and I’ll be floating all the way – I’ll be listening to my Abba tape and thinking I’ve cracked it.”

Unfortunately for Allen, Cheltenham’s next game brought a 1-0 defeat at Carlisle.