Centre of attention

Danny Whitaker celebrates

Leyton Orient 2, Athletic 1


ATHLETIC have every right to feel aggrieved after Saturday’s defeat at Leyton Orient.

The result surely extinguished the embers of their bid for promotion from Coca-Cola League One and, not for the first time this season, referee Iain Williamson was cast as the villain in a match involving Athletic.

The match official from Berkshire, who awarded Peterborough United two first-half penalties in December, was at the centre of further controversy at The Matchroom Stadium.

Williamson awarded relegation-threatened Orient an unexpected lifeline — he gave the home side a dubious penalty — at a time when Athletic were ahead through a stunning shot from Danny Whitaker and still clinging on to the hope of promotion.

To compound their misery, Williamson failed to award Athletic a spot-kick — the score was 1-1 at the time — when Chris Taylor was seemingly tripped.

Striker Scott McGleish scored the O’s penalty, before the hosts went on on to snatch victory through a late effort from Jason Demetriou.

It is still mathematically possible for Athletic to gain a play-off place, but it’s odds-on they will miss out again.

Athletic have won just two of their last 13 league matches but, despite this defeat, there were positives, especially the first-half display which was encouraging.

The new front pairing of Lewis Alessandra and Deane Smalley worked well in tandem and you could see how they have grown up through the junior ranks.

Smalley dominated in the air, with Alessandra feeding off him. There is hope for the future in those two young talents.

In the space of weeks, Athletic have gone from having the oldest strikeforce — Dean Windass and Lee Hughes — to possibly the youngest in the league. This has to be the way forward.

Manager Joe Royle made four changes from midweek as Kelvin Lomax, Kevin Maher and the injured Steven Kabba were missing, while Hughes is out on loan.

Reuben Hazell was switched from the centre of defence to right back, Stefan Stam was recalled to partner Sean Gregan in the heart of defence, Ian Westlake returned in midfield and Alessandra took his place up front.

Athletic played some delightful football in the opening half. Mark Allott and Whitaker ran the midfield, while the defence was untroubled.

They deserved their 34th minute lead when Whitaker walloped in a terrific shot from 25 yards as the O’s defence retreated as he burst forward. It was his second goal in successive matches and eighth of the season.

Whitaker appeared on a single-handed mission to keep Athletic’s promotion push alive. He scored the 94th minute equaliser at Cheltenham four days earlier.

He was denied a second goal by a super save from Jamie Jones, who acrobatically turned over his near-post header following Daniel Jones’ left-wing cross.

The half-time introduction of substitute Dean Morgan, a striker who is on loan from Luton Town, improved the fortunes of the hosts. He twice went close before he won a 58th minute penalty, although Athletic were convinced he ran into Hazell.

Whether Williamson was influenced by the O’s having two shouts for penalties turned down in the first half one can only guess.

Athletic were incensed barely 10 minutes later when Williamson waved away appeals when Taylor went down having burst past left-back Charlie Daniels. There was no need for him to go to ground, and it looked as though there was contact.

To add insult to injury, the O’s secured all three points courtesy of Demetriou’s 85th minute effort.

Stam’s poor clearance found the midfield man, whose drive from the edge of the penalty area went in off the inside of the upright.

It emphasised how cruel life can be.

Athletic’s only realistic goal in the remainder of the season appears to be to cement a top-half finish, but they could conceivably even miss out on that if their current poor run of form continues.