So much to do, but so little time

Joe Royle back on the bench at Oldham

Oldham 0, Tranmere 2

THE Messiah may be back, but Joe Royle will need to perform another of his footballing miracles if Athletic are to rekindle their push for promotion from Coca-Cola League One.

Saturday’s home defeat by Tranmere Rovers in a clash of the play-off hopefuls leaves Athletic eighth and more significantly six points adrift of the top six.

Their dreams of a Wembley finale to their campaign appears to be fading away.

Athletic were on the slide long before Royle’s return, with their form over the last two months that of a side at the other end of the table.

They have won only two of their last 11 league matches and have picked up only one point from a possible 12, damning statistics for a team with Championship aspirations.

Admittedly it was a more spirited performance against Ronnie Moore’s Tranmere, but it is clearly going to take time to transform their fortunes, something Royle doesn’t have with only eight league games remaining.

It looks increasingly likely that this week’s two away fixtures at Cheltenham Town and Leyton Orient could make or break their promotion bid.

Two more bad results and Athletic will almost certainly have kissed goodbye to any hopes of a top-six finish.

Royle’s appointment has created an amazing buzz in the town.

That was reinforced by the turnout at Boundary Park. There was a carnival atmosphere and the crowd of 7,489 was at least 2,000 more than one could normally expect for this fixture.

It was electric and reminiscent of the glory days of Royle’s first spell. The tannoy even blasted out Stuart Pyke’s never-to-be-forgotten radio commentary of the goals which clinched the second division title in 1991.

Royle, given an emotional ovation before kick off, handed debuts to his two loan captures, goalkeeper Shane Supple and midfielder Ian Westlake, while there was a change of formation to 4-3-3 with Lee Hughes flanked by Chris Taylor and Deane Smalley in attack.

When that tactic failed to work, Royle switched to a more rigid 4-4-2 system midway through the opening period.

Tranmere, who are notoriously bad travellers, were by far the more dangerous side in the goalless opening period.

moments

They created six clear-cut chances but, fortunately for Athletic, their finishing was woeful. Lanky striker Bas Savage certainly gave Athletic’s back line the run around.

Yet Athletic also had their moments, with Lee Hughes rounding ’keeper Danny Coyne only to strike an upright from an acute angle.

Smalley also had an effort superbly blocked by Aaron Cresswell, while Taylor’s shot on the tun from the edge of the box fizzed narrowly wide.

In the second half, Hughes had an attempt at goal brilliantly turned round a post by Coyne, who dived to his left.

Tranmere made the breakthrough in the 57th minute.

Athletic failed to cut out a Ryan Shotton cross from the right and former Liverpool trainee Charlie Barnett stole in to side-foot home from 14 yards for his first goal in league football.

Athletic may have been down, but they certainly weren’t out for the count.

They stuck to their guns, with Hughes having another great chance only to blaze over. He could conceivably have had a hat-trick on another day.

Westlake so nearly crowned his debut with a goal, as his drive was deflected just wide for a corner.

But Tranmere sealed victory after 75 minutes when Stefan Stam brought down Steve Jennings in the box. He was shown a second yellow card, followed by a red on his first start of 2009. Stam will miss one game.

Ian Moore stepped forward to score from the spot, and he subsequently got himself booked for inciting the home fans with his celebrations.

What prompted Moore to act in that way?

Fourteen months ago he arrived at Boundary Park for a medical, only to receive a call on his mobile telephone. He promptly disappeared and the next Athletic knew was that he had signed for his father Ronnie at Tranmere.