There’s just no justice

Photo: Picture: ALAN HOWARTH

JUMP TO IT . . . Tom Adeyemi, Athletic’s driving force on a frustrating night, displays his power in the air.

Athletic 1, Scunthorpe 2

Defensive lapses costly for Latics
THE EVENTFUL evening for Keanu Marsh-Brown summed up Athletic’s fragile state at present.

Near the end of a contest dominated by the home side for an hour – one in which they should have been, but were not, awarded a penalty for a push on Kieran Lee in the first half – the young forward needlessly lunged in two-footed and was shown a red card.

It was an act of frustration and the focus will fall on that foul, one for which a retaliating Josh Walker was also eventually dismissed.

Critics will point to the 19-year-old’s tinderbox temperament being exposed. But that is unfair and misses the wider point.

In the seconds before his poor attempt at a tackle, Athletic were well inside Scunthorpe territory attempting to find a hole to force an equaliser – the least their often top-quality play deserved on another dispiriting night.

After taking a throw-in, a series of poor decisions saw the ball shifted back, and back again, until eventually Jean-Yves Mvoto dug himself a hole and gave away possession.

It was the third of a series of unfortunate and preventable events – the first two, being Scunthorpe’s twin strikes from centre-back David Mirfin and substitute Garry Thompson – which did for Paul Dickov’s side.

And though Marsh-Brown had been such a lively presence in the first two-thirds of the game, his mental crumbling mirrored the team’s as a whole. Athletic played some terrific football on the night, just as they had days earlier at Sheffiled United.

While the goals arrived at Bramall Lane, here, thanks to the excellence of Iron ’keeper Sam Slocombe, some wayward finishing and the width of the goal frame, they did not.

What Athletic needed to do, with the game scoreless, was keep playing their football, patiently. Instead, they pumped long balls forward.

What was also vital was to keep sharp minds in defence. Instead, Mirfin was left unmarked at a corner to power home a header after 73 minutes.

And after Filipe Morais had fluked an equaliser with a right-wing cross which dipped just under the crossbar, Garry Thompson was afforded acres of room to calmly steer home a game-winning header only two minutes later.

Athletic started where they left off at Sheffield United, pressing all over the pitch. Tom Adeyemi was exceptional in his work-rate and along with Reece Brown, dominated the first half midfield-wise.

Marsh-Brown started in a supporting role to centre-forward Shefki Kuqi and immediately made his presence felt with quick feet and darting pace.

On a couple of occasions, the teenager’s decisiveness inside the opposition area was found wanting, though, while at the other end the Iron presented danger mainly through the probing of Jimmy Ryan and wing play of right-sided man Mark Duffy.

One Ryan cross on the quarter-hour provided burly striker Jon Parkin with a great chance to fire in the opening goal. Instead, he hit the floor with his left-footed volley from eight yards, allowing Alex Cisak to tip the ball over the top.

The on-loan Cardiff striker hit another shot too close to Cisak and, after Morais had tested Slocombe with a low 20-yarder, Shefki Kuqi sprang into action.

First, the 15-goal forward had a first-time shot smothered by Slocombe – James Tarkowski couldn’t quite arrange his feet in time to smash home the rebound – and after Mirfin had headed a Walker corner narrowly wide of the far post, Athletic’s match-winning hero of Bramall Lane was denied by the woodwork.

A superb, sweeping counter-attack by Dickov’s side ended with a Morais cross finding its way into Kuqi’s orbit. After controlling, he struck a right-footed shot which clipped the crossbar on its way over the top.

And end-to-end period ended with chances at both ends. In front of the Rochdale Road Stand, Lee had a good claim for a penalty go unanswered. And Parkin should have done much better than slice a left-footed shot which arrived to him under little pressure.

The second half started as the first ended, with Athletic exerting an even tighter grip.

Three minutes in, a clearance from David Mellor was pushed into Marsh-Brown’s path and, running in on goal, he produced a weak finish which hit Slocombe in his midriff.

Seconds later, Morais hit a shot from the right which struck the outside of the post, as the one-way traffic continued to flow.

But Athletic began to lose their way and it wasn’t a total surprise when the opening goal arrived from Mirfin – though the soft defence on show will have angered the home side’s management.

Morais’ out-of-the-blue strike followed soon after and should have been a signal for Athletic to regroup and refocus. Instead, Walker’s cross to the far post was headed back across a diving Cisak to give Scunthorpe the lead once again.

All that was left was for Marsh-Brown and Walker to get their marching orders, a silly on-pitch brawl ensuing in the aftermath and for Kuqi to strike a half-volley narrowly over the crossbar.






NEW signing Youssouf Mchangama will prove to be a good acquisition, says manager Paul Dickov.



The 21-year-old Comoros Islands international signed a short-term deal with Athletic and was an unused substitute in last night’s defeat to Scunthorpe.

Having completed a successful two-week trial period, he will now build his fitness.

“Youssouf is a good footballer who will get stuck in,” said Dickov. “We need to get him up to speed with the other boys, but he will be a good addition for us.”

Mchangama is a former Marseille youth colleague of Bradley Diallo and has played football in France’s second tier for Sedan and Troyes.