Dominant Latics rewarded for sheer effort

WING WIZARD . . . Lee Croft displays his trickery against Nick Blackman.

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Sheff Utd 1, Athletic 1

MATT Smith could hardly believe it himself.

After the striker had volleyed home with his weaker right foot to unleash wild celebrations from Athletic’s travelling army at Bramall Lane, he instinctively craned his neck to look back at the assistant referee.

But there was no raised flag. This time, after 96 minutes and eight seconds of another game controlled with assurance by Athletic, the goal stood.

The only pity was that Smith’s second of the season handed his team a mere point.

Athletic were probably worthy of three: taking the quality of their opposition ito account, this was arguably their most impressive outing of the season.

For all but a worrying period before and after the Blades’ penalty, Athletic were everything Danny Wilson’s men were not offensively: tidy in possession, fluid in movement and dangerous down both flanks.

The statistics tell their own story. United had five shots, Athletic 15. And that doesn’t include when Jonathan Grounds smashed the ball into the net after a shot by Robbie Simpson was saved. It was dubiously ruled offside.

Starting in an unfamiliar central midfield role in the absence of captain Dean Furman, Simpson had a chance to open the scoring after 30 seconds, heading wastefully wide from a Baxter free-kick.

Athletic harassed the opposition high upfield and the home audience quickly became frustrated.

Athletic took a stranglehold.

A half-time roasting from Wilson saw United emerge with far greater purpose.

The penalty was a soft one. Jean-Yves Mvoto tangled clumsily with Kitson in the area, giving Blackman a calm strike and goal.

Teams with less confidence than Athletic - they are bursting at the seasm with it at the moment, may have taken that knock as a sign it wasn’t to be their day.

Dickov’s men instead fought back hard. Matt Derbyshire twice glanced headers wide and hit a shot which was beaten away low by a diving Long.

After the period of added time was extended due to a clash of heads, Smith was brave enough to attack a looped-in cross from Baxter which caught the home defence napping.

More of the same, please.






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