Old boys return to haunt Latics

Photo: PICTURES: ALAN HOWARTH

Athletic new boy Jordan Slew is stopped in his tracks by Sheffield Wednesday’s Miguel Lleera.

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Athletic 2, Sheff Wed 4

ATHLETIC came undone in an extraordinary second-half turnaround as four unanswered goals put resurgent Sheffield Wednesday into the hat for the second round draw of the Capital One Cup.

And three of those strikes came from former Athletic players! After Jermaine Johnson had halved the home side’s advantage with a goal that went through goalkeeper Alex Cisak, substitute Chris O’Grady did what he usually does against Athletic.

Two expertly-taken efforts put the visitors in front, before Michail Antonio cracked home a late fourth.

After being so dominant, and Dave Jones’s side so poor, in the first half, Athletic simply had no answer to the power, pace and movement exhibited by the Championship club’s attack-minded players.

It’s four years since Athletic made it past the first round of the League Cup. And yet the chances of doing so seemed high at one stage in this contest.

Wednesday couldn’t find a response to Athletic’s energy, slick movement and passing in what was a glorious opening period from the home team.

The first move of note produced a Latics goal. Clever work down the productive right flank involving Robbie Simpson, Lee Croft and Byrne ended with Jordan Slew side-footing home James Wesolowski’s pull-back to mark his debut after seven minutes on the pitch.

Athletic were good value for taking a two-goal margin into the changing rooms at the interval.

It’s difficult to work out how Jean-Yves Mvoto ended up in the opposition penalty area to slip across his marker and head home Croft’s ball from the right. But nobody among the home support could care.

There was no doubt about the validity of Wednesday’s penalty claims shortly before the end of the first half. Croft's clearance was poor and he bundled into Antonio, giving the ref no choice.

But in the second half, from being dominant in midfield, Athletic ceded control to the visitors.

Athletic couldn’t gain enough of a foothold to make the most of Slew and his only effort of the period was a weak one as the home side broke in hope of a game-levelling goal.

Wednesday continued to be the more potent threat, though, and Antonio had already had a shot saved by Cisak’s legs before he cut inside Tarkowski from the left and rounded things off with a lovely finish.






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