Plenty to shout about

GREAT START . . . Robbie Simpson turns away after putting Athletic in front last night.

Athletic 2, Manchester City 1

IF this event was marked down as a phoney war, then a few thousand people at Boundary Park last night didn’t get the memo.

Boss Paul Dickov would have had much less trouble keeping down the smile across his lips in the post-match press conference if it really didn’t matter at all that Athletic had defeated a team who only two-and-a-half months ago were busy dancing around the Etihad Stadium after winning the world’s richest league.

And the home supporters who acclaimed Jonathan Grounds’ injury-time winner, lashed home in front of the Chaddy End, would have been much quieter if a contest played out in front of a healthy 6,589 fans, was really inconsequential.

It certainly didn’t mean everything that Athletic won this game. But it did mean something.

City took to the field boasting a strong team. Joe Hart, Gael Clichy, Joleon Lescott, James Milner, de Jong and Samir Nasri all played for at least an hour against Athletic, while Roque Santa Cruz was given a start up front.

But Athletic meant business from the off and took a lead after two minutes and 25 seconds.

The home side’s on-trial Portuguese striker weighted a careful pass through to Simpson after a rusty error from France star Clichy and the forward netted his fourth goal of a productive pre-season.

City sought a way back in. Milner tried his hand twice in the first half, the second of which spawned one of a number of excellent stops from Cisak.

All the big names reappeared for the second half and it didn’t take long for an equaliser to arrive.

Cliff Byrne’s covering clearance hit the legs of James Tarkowski and ran into the path of Santa Cruz, who stepped around Cisak to slot into an empty goal.

Athletic, who played some excellent football in possession, looked to be in decline even after the departure of the stellar names from the field.

A draw looked the heavy favourite entering the closing stages.

But Connor Hughes’ corner was contested by fellow substitute Matt Smith’s head and, as the ball fell to earth, Grounds blasted it into the net.

His celebration was understated, but with the evidence of victories at York and Fleetwood to point to as well, don’t let anyone suggest that Athletic aren’t looking very good at present.






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