Latics’ show of promise

ATHLETIC defender Reuben Hazell attempts to foil a Burnley attack.

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Athletic 1, Burnley 2

Dickov’s side push Clarets every step of the way

PAUL DICKOV was a happy man after watching his squad push Burnley all the way in the rarest of beasts — a truly competitive pre-season ‘friendly’.

The highlights of this Boundary Park clash from a home point of view were an outstanding first-half penalty save by Dean Brill, an equally brilliant point-blank stop by replacement goalkeeper Greg Fleming after the break and a well-crafted goal, finished by a trialist striker going by the name of ‘Peter Jones’ on official team sheets, which gave Athletic a lead they held until the closing eight minutes.

Before the interval, Athletic’s line-up played confident football with Dale Stephens — creator of the opening goal with a strong run and perfectly-weighted pass — and new signing Ritchie Jones pulling the strings in midfield.

Last season a Premier League side, Burnley fielded a strong line-up but only managed to assert their superiority against a keen pressing game after wholesale changes were made to both teams in the second half.

And late strikes by Steve Thompson and Leon Cort didn’t take the shine off the overall performance for home boss Dickov.

“It was feisty and that is good,” said the Athletic boss. “I spoke to Brian Laws afterwards and we both felt there was a good tempo to the game.

“There were a few little niggles, but nothing too serious. I am delighted with both sets of teams.

“At the end of each half we tired a little and lost our shape. We worked on our shape and our discipline and everyone took on board what we are trying to do, so I am delighted with that.

“We want to encourage the players to play football. As much as we want to close down, work hard and be organised, we want passes, crosses and shots as well.

“So that was pleasing. You don’t want to read too much into pre-season games, but that was against a team which last season was in the Premier League.”

The first meaningful action of the first half produced the opening goal in the sixth minute.

Stephens robbed Wade Elliott of the ball in midfield and broke confidently forward, slipping a lovely pass into the path of the very busy trialist forward, who Dickov said afterwards he was permitted to reveal “very little” about.

The mystery man showed good pace to get away from the trailing defence before slipping a neat left-foot finish past giant goalkeeper Brian Jensen.

Two minutes later, Chris Eagles whizzed a 35-yard free-kick a couple of yards over.

Brill’s palms were warmed by an Elliott shot, before the visitors were awarded a soft penalty for a challenge by on-trial centre-back Rod MacDonald on the charging Richard Eckersley, but Brill was up to the task.

Chris Eagles and Dean Marney produced shots which narrowly missed the target but as the teams retired to the changing rooms, Athletic were just about worth their lead.

Tom Eaves struck a shot which whizzed across the face of goal and Kelvin Lomax, stepping up from left-back, struck a 20-yard drive which forced Jensen into action as Athletic continued to impress.

Then came Fleming’s big moment, producing a fantastic reaction save to flick over Thompson’s point-blank header off a David Edgar cross.

Lewis Alessandra should have doubled Athletic’s lead with a little under a quarter-hour left.

Slipped in by Ryan Brooke, the striker tried to go round Jensen instead of taking on a shot and was forced wide, the tight angle leading to an attempted chip which the big ’keeper was able to easily grab.

Then came a tasty confrontation between Brooke and Burnley left-back David Fox, which led to the Athletic striker taking a five-minute hiatus on the sidelines in order to help clear the red mist.

Burnely equalised when Thompson broke the offside trap from Fox’s long ball forward, controlled well with his left foot before easing a lob over Fleming in front of 1,038 travelling fans. And Cort stole the honours with five minutes to go, rising to head home at the far post from Graham Alexander’s free-kick.