Sweet and sour for Latics boss
Date published: 16 April 2012

LATE LEVELLER . . .Athletic’s Robbie Simpson keeps his cool from the penalty spot.
FRUSTRATION at not taking three points from Adams Park was tempered with the relief at gaining a draw for Athletic manager Paul Dickov, following a gripping basement battle.
Robbie Simpson’s last-minute penalty earned the visitors a share of the spoils — a scenario which seemed remote when Grant Basey stepped up to take a spot-kick of his own in the 83rd minute.
Had the left-back’s attempt crept inside, rather than slipping outside, the right-hand post of ’keeper Dean Bouzanis, Athletic would have been 3-1 down.
A win for the Chairboys would have snipped the gap between the respective clubs down to three points.
Dickov, glad to take a point away from a frantic contest, felt nonetheless that his men let an iron grip slip when conceding an awful equaliser to Filipe Morais’ sizzling opener.
“If you look at the clock at 89 minutes and see you are 2-1 down then you have to be delighted with a point,” said Dickov, following a result which keeps the club 18th and significantly more secure than had Basey netted.
“But I am a little bit disappointed. In the first half-hour when we were one-up, I thought we were going to go two or three-up.
“A ridiculous goal has got them back in it and their tails are up. They are fighting for their lives as well.
“It was fantastic by Robbie at the end.”
After finally ending an unbroken run of midweek matches stretching back to February, with three games left of the season Dickov is happy to take up the chance of reflecting on events with his players.
“It has been a tough little period.”
Read the full version of this story in our print and eChron editions