Latics have a cross to bear

Photo: Alan Howarth and Vincent Brown

Athletic forward Aidan White (left) is pursued by Sheffield Wednesday’s Tommy Spurr. Pictures;

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Athletic 2, Sheffield Wed 3 
IF at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Then try a bit harder — for the manager’s sanity, if nothing else.

Athletic boss Paul Dickov can be forgiven for emitting a big sigh the next time he sets up a defensive routines in training. How every fan present at Boundary Park last night wishes his players would finally heed the dangers of the crossed ball.

Every one of Sheffield Wednesday’s three goals at Boundary Park arrived through a ball delivered at height into the penalty area. The first came from centre-back Mark Beevers, direct from a corner — the fifth time in the last three matches from that avenue — while the remaining two were both far-post crosses which Chris Sedgwick turned home.

The positive aspect of this performance was that despite the catalogue of errors — by now amounting more to a compendium, when you collect together other goals conceded recently — Athletic showed some real fighting spirit to haul themselves back into the game.

Filipe Morais’ deflected goal halved the deficit in the first half, representing the first time his team had hit the net in 10 hours and two minutes of football.

And Dale Stephens’ long-range bullet just before half-time gave belief that the game could even have been won.

Sedgwick’s strike early in the second period put paid to such thoughts and chances thereafter were few and far between for either team.

But with the scoring monkey thrown off Athletic’s back, it is clearer than ever that the priority is to stiffen a brittle defence that, despite captain Reuben Hazell’s return last night, has now conceded 11 goals in its last three matches.

Two changes were made to the Athletic line-up which started the 3-0 loss at Bournemouth. To the bench went centre-back Andy Todd and striker Warren Feeney, with Hazell restored to the defence after recovering from a sore back and Aidan White coming in on the right wing.

Chris Taylor moved up front to lead the forward line alongside Oumare Tounkara, Ritchie Jones staying on in central midfield. Dean Furman — now free from suspension — was ruled out through illness.

Athletic began brightly before their Achilles heel kicked in once again.

Firstly, an in-swinging free-kick from near the left corner flag by ex-Derby winger Gary Teale was only partially cleared for a corner on the opposite wing.

The same Wednesday player then wandered across to take the set-piece, delivering a tasty ball into the area with a host of players ready to pounce.

Almost inevitably — the way things have been going for Athletic defending set pieces — it was a visiting player who rose highest.

Beevers climbed above the scrum to plant his header down and Athletic ’keeper Ben Amos, who was possibly slightly unsighted, somehow let the ball slip straight under his hands and between his legs after not even three minutes had been completed.

It was a hideous start to proceedings — and despite trying to play in a positive, high-tempo fashion, it soon got doubly worse.

Far too easily from manager Paul Dickov’s point of view, Gary Madine slipped in the lively Teale down the left touchline. Such was the space he was afforded, his chosen option of a first-time cross was something of a surprise.

Though it arrived at a comfortable height for the diving Amos, the on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper could only get his fingertips to the ball and Paul Black was helpless to prevent Chris Sedgwick bundling the ball home at the far post.

It was a scruffy goal, with a hint of an arm involved from Sedgwick, but it nonetheless left the home team with a huge mountain to climb.

Madine went close to getting in behind Trotman only for Amos to rush out and claim the ball, before the former Carlisle hitman was forced off through injury to be replaced by well-travelled Clinton Morrison.

The ex-Republic of Ireland striker was soon involved in goal action, albeit at the wrong end.

Not a player afraid of pulling the trigger when an opportunity presents itself, Morais cut inside from the left and hit a 20-yard shot that was on target but not troubling Wednesday ’keeper Nicky Weaver — until it hit Morrison and spun past him into the far corner.

Despite Athletic’s goal-shy nature of late, it wasn’t too much of a surprise when an equaliser arrived.

What definitely did raise the eyebrows was the quality of the strike involved.

Morais’ added-time ball across the front of the area wasn’t the most inviting for Stephens, as it was travelling at quite a pace.

Anyone who has played the game knows that such a pass, travelling across the body and onto the favoured foot, is among the toughest to strike in terms of technique.

Stephens made it look easy. From 25 yards out, the midfielder hit a scorching shot which rifled into the top corner to leave Weaver with absolutely no chance — and Athletic buoyant.

The bubble was burst only seven minutes into the second period.

Tommy Spurr was afforded too much room to cross from the left and though his initial ball in was headed into the air, Sedgwick climbed above Black at the far post to nod beyond Amos.

Clinton Morrison spurned a couple of quarter-chances on the turn and Tommy Miller just failed to get enough of his head on a Michael Morrison cross as Wednesday continued to threaten.

Stephens then very nearly produced another equaliser. His fiercely-struck 20-yard volley appeared destined to find the net, had it not been for Tounkara accidentally getting in the way of it.

With 13 minutes left, Kieran Lee went close. A lovely floated ball over the defence from Stephens found the full-back rushing into the area, but his first-time volley was sliced a couple of yards wide.

Morais hit a shot straight at Weaver and a late Reuben Reid handball, produced when the ball bounced awkwardly between him and Weaver, was as close to another effort at goal as Athletic managed.

Latics’ next game— Saturday, Leyton Orient (away), npower League One