Cup exit for toothless Latics

Leeds and former Athletic midfielder Neil Kilkneney turns away from Danny Whittaker

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Athletic 0, Leeds United 2

MISTER Micawber had the right idea.

Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds and six, result happiness.

Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds and six, result misery.

The lesson in 19th Century economics also applies to football management.

Bag one more than the opposition and all is right with the world.

Let in more than you score? Repeat this particular balance sheet too often and people will start to ask what the Dickens is going on.

The trouble is, at the moment Athletic are having trouble creating the conditions for contentment.

Leeds United, arriving in Oldham on the back of consecutive 4-0 victories, weren’t much better than Dave Penney’s men on a soggy evening at Boundary Park.

But there was always the sense that there was a goal or two in them. And, thanks to Jonny Howson’s deflected drive and Mike Grella’s injury-time breakaway goal, so it proved.

On the other hand, Penney was well up against it in terms of providing a potent goal threat for this FA Cup first-round tie.

Top scorer Pawel Abbott was ruled out after undergoing a hernia operation in Germany — it is fair to say this wasn’t the best-kept of secrets — and with Nick Blackman ineligible, Deane Smalley was thrust into a forward role alongside Keigan Parker.

It was a makeshift solution at best.

Though combative and full of admirable endeavour throughout, Athletic were ultimately toothless in attack and drew a blank in the ‘goals for’ stakes for the ninth time this season.

The home side’s best chance fell to Joe Colbeck midway through the first half. After coming out best in a 50-50 challenge with Leeds centre-back Patrick Kisnorbo, the winger bore down on goal.

Inexplicably, Colbeck elected to take an extra touch when shooting was the only realistic option. The opportunity disappeared, as did Colbeck from the field when the player was withdrawn, tactically, to make way for Danny Whitaker 12 minutes later.

The only other moment to warm the cockles of the home fans in a disappointing crowd of 5,552 was when Chris Taylor’s low drive from the edge of the penalty area on the hour forced a smart low save from Leeds goalkeeper Casper Ankergren.

The magic of this cup tie wasn’t exactly of David Copperfield proportions.

Athletic made four changes to the side which had lost 1-0 at home to Huddersfield a week earlier.

Darryl Flahavan and Lee Hills, both arriving on loan from Crystal Palace, started in goal and at left-back respectively in place of Dean Brill and Alan Sheehan.

Chris Taylor — at the heart of most of Athletic’s attacks — came in on the left of midfield with Whitaker dropping to the bench and Alex Marrow was back to add bite in central midfield.

Flahavan was called into action after 14 minutes when Reuben Hazell’s weak header back to him was pounced on by the lively Bradley Johnson. The goalkeeper did well to rush out and block the Leeds man’s effort.

Michael Doyle then went close for Leeds, firing over and wide from the corner of the area after Johnson’s free-kick was charged down.

Colbeck then fluffed his lines and the visitors took the lead nine minutes before half-time.

Good work in the build-up from Robert Snodgrass enabled Howson to let fly with a let-footed drive from 30 yards out. The angled shot across Flahavan took a deflection off the unlucky Andy Holdsworth and flew into the net off the underside of the crossbar.

Up to that point, the midfield battle was being won by Leeds, with ex-Athletic loan man Neil Kilkenny — booked for dissent in the second half — pulling the strings along with Michael Doyle.

Things improved in that regard for Athletic in the second half, but efforts on goal continued to be at a premium.

Taylor scuffed an effort tamely into the arms of Ankergren when it appeared to sit up prettily for the shot. From a similar position, the left winger made a far better connection after picking up a failed Kisnorbo clearance but the ’keeper was able to push the shot round his right-hand post.

Penney brought on Ryan Brooke for the final stages and the striker looked lively, firing a shot wide three minutes from time and providing a much-needed focal point up front.

But Leeds made sure of their progress deep into injury time. A floated Hills free-kick from deep was cleared and Snodgrass broke away before releasing substitute Aidan White down the right.

His careful ball across goal was controlled by fellow replacement Grella, who neatly cut inside on to his right foot and fired into the roof of the net.



ATHLETIC: Flahavan; Holdsworth, Hazell, Gregan, Hills; Colbeck (Whitaker 37), Marrow, Furman (Brooke 80), Taylor; Smalley, Parker (Lee 72). Subs not used: Brill, Jacobson, Black, Eaves.

LEEDS: Ankergren; Bromby, Kisnorbo, Naylor, Hughes; Howson, Doyle (White 90), Kilkenny; Johnson, Beckford (Grella 86), Snodgrass. Subs not used: Martin, Prutton, Michalik, Robinson, Showumni.

Shots/headers on target: Athletic 3 Leeds 6

Shots/headers off target: Athletic 4 Leeds 3

Woodwork: Athletic 0 Leeds 0

Corners: Athletic 1 Leeds 5

Offsides: Athletic 2 Leeds 3

Fouls: Athletic 16 Leeds 8

The goals — Leeds: Howson (36), Grella (90).

The cards —Athletic: n Furman (70, foul), n Smalley (85, foul); Leeds: n Howson (22, foul), n Kilkenny (53, dissent), n Doyle (90, time wasting).

Referee: Mr Gavin Ward (Surrey)

Attendance: 5,552