Furman shows Latics promise

Hyde United 0, Athletic 2

MANAGER Dave Penney may be creating a new-look Athletic team, but it was two survivors from last season who secured last night’s victory at Hyde United in their opening pre-season friendly.

Goals from Danny Whitaker and Lewis Alessandra earned Athletic a win at Blue Square North side Hyde which ought to have been far more emphatic than the scoreline suggests.
They were denied three times by the crossbar and, together with other openings, they could have triumphed by a far wider margin in what proved a satisfactory workout.

There will be far more rigorous challenges further down the line in pre-season, but there was little which could be faulted from this encouraging display.

The one irritating part of the night was the presence of un-named trialists in the Athletic line-up which turns reporting the facts of the match into a farce.

Surely if players, some of whom were foreign, appear in a competitive fixture in front of paying customers, the fans have a right to know who they are watching.

Apart from trialist keeper James Spencer, the former Stockport and Rochdale shot-stopper, Athletic fielded a completely different line-up in each half as new-boy Dean Brill was made to wait for his debut.

Spencer did not have a shot to save so it was almost impossible to evaluate him.

Penney’s line-up for the opening half was far stronger than the one used for the second period when Spencer and Will Haining were among five trialists used, the other three remaining anonymous.

You would imagine seven or eight members of the first-half side will be starting the season’s opening fixture against Stockport County.

Of the new players, Dean Furman caught the eye in the opening half as he relished the role of ball-playing midfielder. He sprays passes around with ease and was likened in style to former Latics favourite Neil Kilkenny.

New signings Joe Jacobson and Pawel Abbott also starred in the opening half, while Jon Worthington beefed up the midfield in the second period when Athletic fielded a far less experienced side.

Athletic opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Chris Taylor provided the assist for Whitaker to confidently cut back from his right to left foot before curling an exquisite shot into the top corner from outside the penalty area.

Abbott provided a delightful touch to create an opening for himself as he fired against a post when he ought to have been celebrating.

Athletic added a second goal shortly before half time when keeper Josh Ollerenshaw, who Athletic loaned to Hyde for the opening period, failed to gather a long punt forward and Alessandra had a relatively easy finish.

It was all change in the second period in which Athletic must still be wondering how they failed to increase their goal return.

First-year professional Chris Rowney, a midfield player in the Nick Henry/Mike Milligan mould, forced a decent save from Hyde keeper Michael Jones.

Athletic’s unknown giant trialist central defender, who is believed to be from London, saw a terrific shot strike the crossbar and at the death he was denied by a super stop by Jones.

Striker Chris O’Grady, back from the wilderness after three spells out on loan last season, also made an impact in the second period when he was denied by the crossbar, a fine save from Jones and a goalline clearance.

FIRST HALF (4-4-2): Spencer; Lomax, Hazell, Gregan, Jacobson; Smalley, Whitaker, Furman, Taylor; Abbott, Alessandra.

SECOND HALF (4-4-2): Spencer; Eardley (Trialist 68), Trialist, Haining, Black; Lee, Worthington, Rowney, Trialist; O’Grady, Wolfenden.