Goal drought proves costly for Latics

Photo: Terry Parker

Confident Sam Manton was unlucky to strike a post with a late free-kick

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Bristol Rovers 1, Athletic 0
Barren stretch puts play-off push on hold
WHERE have all the goals gone?

Before this untimely three-game barren run, Athletic had failed to score in only four league matches all season.

Here at the Memorial Ground, up against a team who could hardly be operating with lower confidence levels — that is what one win in 18 does to you — the lack of composure shown by Paul Dickov’s side was frightening at times.

Nerves, a lack of belief, tiredness, sheer loss of form . . . the missing instinct can be attributed to plenty of different factors, or indeed a combination of them.

If the play-off positions aren’t to gradually disappear over the horizon, though, it is a trend that must be arrested immediately.

Successful teams don’t go five hours and 10 minutes without finding the net.

And the lack of finishing power in excellent attacking positions is costing Athletic dear at present.

In the post-match press conference, Dickov counted five or six clear chances his team failed to convert.

He wasn’t wrong.

Filipe Morais wasted two, forcing a good save from Rovers goalkeeper Conrad Logan after only 64 seconds and then blazing wastefully over when confident debutant midfielder Sam Mantom had struck an upright with a deflected free-kick.

Oumare Tounkara also bashed a post — albeit on its outer fringes — in the first half, Mantom failed to connect with a header properly with the goal gaping after the break and struggling substitute Reuben Reid failed miserably to hit the target when sent bearing down on goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time at the end of an end-to-end game.

Bristol-born Reid pummelled the turf in frustration, summing up the feeling of Athletic as a club at present.

The only goal of this clash came after 73 minutes.

As was far too often in the game, the home side were allowed room to cross from the left.

Top scorer Will Hoskins turned provider, whipping in a right-foot ball which sneaked in behind Athletic’s back line to allow Rene Howe the simplest of finishes from five yards out.

Home boss Dave Penney could be forgiven for harbouring a satisfied smile at the end of this tussle.

Not only did the result grant his side three precious points in the battle against the drop to League Two, it also gave him a personal one-over on the club he endured such a miserable time with last season.

Dickov made two changes to the starting line-up which lost 1-0 at home to Carlisle, with Mantom getting a debut in midfield in place of still-absent Dale Stephens and Warren Feeney replacing Reid up front, with Aidan White also dropping to the substitutes’ bench.

Some slick passing in the opening seconds ended with Morais bearing down on goal with only debutant Rovers ’keeper Conrad Logan to beat.

The winger fired his shot towards goal, but credit was due to the Irish shot-stopper, who rushed off his line quickly to deny Morais his third goal for the club.

Though they only ever played well in short patches, Athletic made an enterprising start to the contest and Dean Furman and Feeney also forced Logan into action in the opening 10 minutes with a shot from 20 yards and a cross which was creeping under the bar respectively.

Tounkara hit a powerful effort against the near post from the left side of the area and the same player almost chalked up a goal by accident as his cross threatened to sneak in but for Logan’s tip-over.

Two-thirds of the way into the opening half, Rovers found their feet and were the stronger side up until the break.

Hoskins couldn’t quite get his shot away in time after getting the better of Andy Todd and Neal Trotman and Howe had a subsequent effort which was pushed away by the diving — and again excellent — Ben Amos.

In the 33rd minute, the Pirates struck the frame of goal themselves when Chris Lines’ header from Ben Swallow’s corner smacked against the crossbar, with Byron Anthony’s follow-up saved by Amos.

Athletic survived the flurry of crosses, mainly from the left flank, which were piling into their box until half-time.

Furman was booked for the ninth time this season for a foul on Lines, the second Athletic man to enter referee Phil Crossley’s notebook following a Credric Evina handball in the first half.

Mantom failed to get enough of his head on a peach of a Feeney cross from the right wing and his glancing effort drifted harmlessly wide.

The same player hit a post with a 20-yard free-kick, the ball falling to Morias, who fired way over with the goal gaping.

The sense that this wasn’t to be Athletic’s day was tangible.

Home substitute Jeff Hughes headed narrowly wide and, as a head of steam built up, ex-Athletic enforcer Jean-Paul Kalala’s fierce drive was well blocked by Evina.

Yet again, the ball simply wasn’t sticking up front for the visitors.

Tounkara looks a shadow of the player he was only a few weeks ago and after Howe had put the home team in front, the on-loan Sunderland forward was brought off the field for Reid.

Amos stopped the lead being doubled by extending to save well from Gavin Williams’ free-kick as the game became stretched.

Trotman was sent up front for Athletic and, understandably given their lack of form, the home side defended deep toward the end of the game and survived a couple off goal mouth scrambles as Athletic desperately sought an equaliser.

At one end Hoskins lobbed just wide of a post and Reid, sent in down the right side of the area, pulled his shot wastefully wide as Logan advanced on him.