Latics show grit and steel
Reporter: MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 29 October 2012
OFF YOU GO: Jean Yves-Mvoto receives his marching orders in the 20th minute.
Crawley 1, Athletic 1
Baxter on the mark again
STURDY in spirit despite the horror of losing Jean-Yves Mvoto to an early red card, Athletic gained the point they deserved thanks to more dark-blue magic from Jose Baxter.
His fifth goal for Paul Dickov was possibly his most fortunate. After a move of rare clarity had swept neatly from the left wing to the right, Baxter’s right-foot shot connected with Lee Croft’s cut-back to deflect high off a defender and creep above and beyond Crawley goalkeeper Paul Jones in the 67th minute.
They all count. Baxter earned his good fortune by striking the ball as fiercely as he managed to.
It sent the 350 visiting fans into rapture. Against the odds, Athletic were a goal up and three points looked achievable.
The team had stiffened itself structurally in response to Mvoto’s ridiculous 20th-minute dismissal.
Baxter operated on the left, centre-back James Tarkowski replaced winger Cristian Montano and Matt Derbyshire moved alone up front.
Goodness only knows what prompted Mvoto to push two separate Crawley players as Athletic prepared for a corner.
Mvoto’s lunacy posed a big question: would Athletic fold to defeat, as they did at Carlisle?
Not a bit of it. If anything the red card tipped the balance Athletic’s way.
Derbyshire’s hard work was rewarded with a chance just before half-time which he slashed wastefully wide with Baxter well placed.
Baxter’s goal came just after Crawley had been reduced by a straight red card for Hope Akpan. Derbyshire had a big chance to double Athletic’s advantage five minutes later. Stepping around Jones, he was faced with a tight shooting angle; a slightly heavy touch allowed the goalkeeper time to block.
Athletic lost concentration and McFadzean had space to drill a low shot through a crowd of players and inside Bouzanis’s near post.
Dean Furman came off the bench as Athletic held on desperately for a share of the spoils.
A draw was the fairest result. Athletic certainly had to battle for it, as Robbie Simpson showed.
The forward, back in central midfield in place of Furman, came off wearing a head bandage and a shiner around his right eye.
By necessity, Athletic’s approach wasn’t always pretty. But it was effective in wiping clear memories of the fright night at Carlisle, putting the team back on a firm footing.
