Latics fade away after showing early zest

HIGH KICK: Dale Stephens sticks out a right leg in a bid to win the ball.

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Athletic 2, Southend 2

FROM the sublime to the ridiculous, the performance which cemented Athletic’s place in Coca-Cola League One contained it all.

Danny Whitaker’s peach of a goal after only 71 seconds and Paul Black’s clinical left-foot finish from the edge of the area shortly before half-time were among the best strikes the team have produced all season.

But both were cancelled out by a Southend side reduced to only 10 men for the final 20 minutes of the game due to a succession of injuries — and the disjointed second-half show by Athletic rarely suggested a three-point haul against a team with just one win to their name this decade.

That was despite an opening period in which virtually every contested ball went the way of the home team at Boundary Park, with players snapping into tackles, passing the ball with confidence and creating chances.

Whitaker’s opening gambit was soon equalised by Francis Laurent after a spot of head tennis in the penalty area.

Despite their overall dominance before the break, Athletic looked strangely frail defensively yet potent going forward — without really testing former ’keeper Steve Mildenhall in the Southend goal enough.

And after Black’s strike, Penney’s men, who lost striker Pawel Abbott to a knee injury at half-time, rarely suggested they would go on to score again.

When it came, powerful replacement centre-back Jean M’Voto’s headed equaliser with 15 minutes left wasn’t all that much of a shock.

The final result nonetheless condemned Southend to the drop, also ensuring Athletic will play in League One next season.

Whitaker’s opening goal suggested better things for the home side. A poor clearance from Southend led to Abbott stretching to flick a ball out to the left where the midfielder, recalled to the starting line-up along with Dale Stephens after sitting out the midweek draw at Southampton, was in plenty of space.

The former Port Vale man took the ball down on his chest and fired a superb, controlled left-footed shot across Mildenhall and into the top corner of the goal.

Laurent’s leveller dampened down high spirits, coming out of nothing after a spot of head tennis in the penalty area when the home defence should have dealt with the threat better.

Abbott had a chance to notch the game’s third goal after only eight minutes. But after getting between the centre-backs from Deane Smalley’s flick-on, Athletic’s 13-goal top scorer lost his balance and hit his shot straight at the goalkeeper’s chest from eight yards out.

The same man was then guilty of going on his own on the quarter-hour when better options were available.

After racing away down the right channel, Abbott opted against squaring the ball to either Lewis Guy or the unmarked Whitaker and instead tried to work his own shooting opportunity before being crowded out.

Athletic were still fully in control and could have retaken the lead midway through the half when Smalley got his header from Whitaker’s left-wing cross all wrong.

A smart period of passing carved Southend open but on attacking the ball, Smalley took the sage advice of heading back in the direction of the cross too literally, his effort landing almost on the toes of Whitaker when he should really have hit the target.

Southend used two of their three substitutions in the first half, captain Adam Barrett and goal scorer Laurent both succumbing to hamstring pulls, while Abbott was on the floor for some time on the half-hour after picking up the injury which ultimately ended his participation.

Black’s goal was another belter. The 19-year-old left-back was the beneficiary of some poor defending to smuggle his way past two challenges and, on the cusp of the penalty area, he unleashed an excellent left-foot effort across Mildenhall, a strike which represented his first career goal.

There was still time before the break for another scare. Southend midfielder Anthony Grant beat a poorly-laid offside trap and went clear on goal. He attempted to roll the ball past ex-Shrimpers ’keeper Darryl Flahavan, who was out quickly to make a smart block with his feet.

Eaves’ introduction didn’t do much to improve Athletic, who faded away badly after the break.

Hapless Southend striker Matt Paterson stumbled when he had a good chance in following up ex-Athletic striker Scott Vernon’s shot which was beaten away by Flahavan.

It was a surprise that it took as long as the 67th minute for the Scot to be replaced, by the handy Harry Crawford.

Stephens came close when curling a 20-yard free-kick went only a yard wide, but the home side were increasingly disjointed.

Kirk Millar entered the fray for Alex Marrow as Penney tried to get his side functioning once more, before Jean-Francois Cristophe became the third visiting player to come off injured — after all three substitutions had already been made.

Sean Gregan was the next man to go down injured and though he was able to carry on, as he re-entered play Crawford skipped past Whitaker on the right to whip in a good cross which was converted by M’Voto’s head at the far post.

Athletic managed to carve out one real opportunity against the 10 men, but in the last minute Guy mystifyingly chose to dummy when Kieran Lee had made a good run and cross down the right, instead of pulling the trigger himself.

It summed up the goal-scoring problems the team has had this year — the number one priority now as Athletic start to look towards next season.






We looked a bit jaded, says chief



DAVE Penney felt the exertions of a heavy fixtures programme took its toll on Athletic’s performance against Southend.



Despite twice taking the lead through superb strikes by Danny Whitaker and Paul Black, the visitors to Boundary Park twice managed to peg back Athletic on a day when their relegation was confirmed — along with the League One safety of Penney’s men.

“It was a tired performance,” said Penney, who lost striker Pawel Abbott to a jarred knee at half-time, Tom Eaves coming on as his replacement.

“Whether Pawel coming off at half-time through injury disrupted us I don’t know, but we looked a bit jaded — especially the two in midfield (Dale Stephens and Alex Marrow), who weren’t quite as bright and sharp as they have been.

DISTANCE

“I suppose you could put it down to the tough game at Southampton (on Tuesday) and the distance involved travelling there.

“But we are disappointed we didn’t win the game, especially after making a great start.”

Despite the draw confirming Athletic’s place in the same division for next season, Penney said nobody was in the mood to revel in the moment.

He also warned that patience is needed with youngsters Eaves and Kirk Millar as they feel their way into the professional game.

“We didn’t want to be down there in the first place so there is no jumping up and celebrating,” Penney added.

“We want to win every game and we certainly wanted to win here.

“We tried to freshen it up to a certain extent but there weren’t enough fresh legs available to be dynamic enough to win the game.

“It was a great start and we should have kicked on from that. We then conceded quite quickly which led to their heads going up a bit and after that, scoring just before half-time we should go and kill off the game.

“We have a lot of young boys in the team and they have to learn to do the basics better than they have been doing.

“Danny’s was a great finish and Blacky bundled through three or four players to find himself in the area where he produced another good finish.

“But we have to be more ruthless and didn’t work their goalkeeper enough in the second half.

“Tom (Eaves) came on at half-time and Kirk (Millar) with 20 minutes left and, as you can see, it is a big step for them.

“They have done ever so well and it is a learning curve. Don’t get me wrong — they are going to be players — but they aren’t ready to start football matches at the moment.”




Latics’ next game: Saturday Yeovil (A), Coca-Cola League One