Home Sickness

GETTING SHIRTY . . . Carlisle centre-half Danny Livesey takes a tug at Lee Hughes

2 More Image(s) In Gallery

Scroll down for Video

Oldham 0, Carlisle 0

ATHLETIC endured another frustrating afternoon as they were once again struck by their Boundary Park blues.

For some inexplicable reason, Athletic have forgotten how to win on their home patch and they continue to squander points they can ill afford to lose if they are to sustain a push for promotion.

Yesterday’s third successive home draw in Coca-Coca League One saw them fail to score from open play once again. Their only two goals in those three fixtures have come from Andy Liddell penalties.

What made yesterday’s result particularly disappointing was the fact that John Sheridan's side enjoyed territorial dominance, yet the players were unable to translate that into goals.
And though Athletic extended their unbeaten run in the league to eight matches, they ought to be even higher in the table.

Rather than simply challenging for a top-six spot, Athletic would be vying for an automatic promotion place had they been more ruthless at Boundary Park.

Their dominance yesterday was overwhelming as indicated by a corner count of 18-0 in their favour.

Yet for all their bluster, Athletic rarely troubled Tim Krul, the Cumbrian club's ’keeper, who was barely threatened such was the home side’s lacklustre forward play.

It was a puzzle, coming less than 48 hours after the win at Crewe which made it 13 points from a possible 15 on Athletic's travels.

Sheridan started with the same side which won at Crewe, with the exception of Sean Gregan, who replaced the injured Stefan Stam in the centre of defence.

Carlisle defended resolutely with midfield man Graham Kavanagh, who is on loan from Sunderland, providing extra insurance in a holding role in front of the back four.

But when you consider Carlisle have won only once on their travels this season, Athletic need to be defeating them if they are to entertain serious hopes of promotion to the second tier of English football.

Carlisle would have taken an 18th-minute lead against the run of play but for Reuben Hazell's brilliant last-gasp tackle to deny Danny Graham, who was clean through on goal. A mistimed tackle would have seen the defender dismissed.

It was only late in the first half that Athletic began to show any urgency as they created three clear-cut chances in the final six minutes.

Lee Hughes came closest to breaking the stalemate when denied by an acrobatic tip over from Dutch under-21 ’keeper Krul, who is on loan from Newcastle.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Athletic remaining in control, yet still failing to display a cutting edge despite Kieran Lee, Hughes and Chris Taylor all having decent strikes at goal.

But as the clock ticked away, you had a nagging suspicion that this would not be Athletic's day.

Sheridan brought on Andy Liddell, Danny Whitaker and Lewis Alessandra at various points in the last 16 minutes, but they failed to provide the spark lacking in front of goal.

Indeed, with Athletic pushing forward, Carlisle might have snatched a goal against the run of play.

The visitors twice came close to scoring a winner, substitute Scot Dobie and Cleveland Taylor both going close.

Yet right at the death, Athletic captain Sean Gregan could have secured victory when Carlisle failed to clear a corner.

As the ball pinged around the penalty area, Gregan's shot flew the wrong side of the post.