Athletic get out of jail
Reporter: Tony Bugby
Date published: 24 August 2009
Latics 2, Swindon 2
ATHLETIC'S wait for a home victory in Coca-Cola League One goes on, and on, and on.
The failure to beat Swindon extended the winless run at Boundary Park to nine matches, a miserable sequence stretching back more than six months and three managers - John Sheridan, Joe Royle and Dave Penney.
It seems hard to believe that Northampton Town were the last team to be defeated on home turf back on Valentine's Day.
Athletic had only themselves to blame for their latest failure in a game which will be remembered for its eventful ending.
It looked as though Athletic were going to record a long-awaited home win courtesy of a first-half goal from Alex Marrow.
But it all went horribly wrong in the dying stages when two horrendous defensive mistakes handed Swindon a 2-1 advantage in the second minute of stoppage time.
There was still one final twist, however, as Kieran Lee equalised in the fourth extra minute and with virtually the last kick of the match as his cross floated over the head of ’keeper David Lucas and went in off the far post.
Lee's goal salvaged a point for Athletic, who had looked set to finish empty-handed on another frustrating afternoon at Boundary Park.
Swindon were far more of a threat than Stockport were on the opening day and while the overall quality of the play was poor - both sides struggled to keep hold of the ball - the match had its moments.
There were spells when Athletic showed promise - Marrow had an excellent game in the centre of midfield - but there were other times when they lost their way.
Penney caused a surprise as Dean Furman lost his place - the Athletic manager diplomatically referred to the midfield man as being rested.
Marrow took his place in the centre of midfield in a return to 4-4-2. Keigan Parker operated wide on the right, while loan-signing Nick Blackman and Pawel Abbott formed a new front pairing.
Athletic started brightly, carving out six clear-cut chances in the opening quarter of the match.
Parker had the best opening when Lucas palmed a Blackman cross into his path, but he completely mis-kicked the ball when it looked easier to score.
The breakthrough finally came in the 38th minute when Marrow, borrowed from Blackburn Rovers, scored his first goal in professional football.
It was a moment the teenager can only have dreamed about, especially as he was a late starter after being an apprentice plasterer for a spell on leaving school.
Marrow was released after a neat passing move and managed to nick the ball past Lucas after initially looking set to lose out in the chase for the loose ball.
Jon Paul McGovern struck a post with a drive from outside the penalty box just short of the hour as Swindon remained a threat.
And the visitors went close again in the 82nd minute when substitute Lloyd Macklin's drive was deflected into the side netting.
Athletic's luck ran out moments later when the Robins equalised after a dreadful piece of defending.
’Keeper Dean Brill took up a position at the far post, anticipating McGovern would float over a free kick from 30 yards.
But the midfield man bent the ball around the defensive wall and low inside the near post with Brill stranded.
Swindon seized the initiative, pressing forward in search of a winner.
And the Robins went ahead in the second minute of stoppage time as they were presented with a gift courtesy of a howler from Reuben Hazell.
The central defender stumbled and fell over as he dribbled the ball out of defence, enabling Billy Paynter to race clear and shoot low to the right of Brill.
But there was to be one final twist when Lee, making his first appearance of the season, salvaged a point in the dying seconds.
However, he would probably be the first to admit his goal was a fluke as there was no way he could ever have imagined his cross from 40 yards would have found its way into the net.
