Baxter’s skills too much for Harriers

DUEL: Athletic star Jose Baxter battles for possession with Kidderminster’s Chey Dunkley.

JOSE Baxter wasn’t around when the Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” became a Christmas number one. But the new fans’ version of the song that includes his name - Jose Baxter Baby - is fast-turning into a hit.

And just as in the song, the more the Bootle-born forward’s goals and assists pile up, the more Athletic fans who have put his name in the chorus want him.

He is the best player to wear a Latics shirt for years: his six goals and two assists tell only part of the story.

The 20 year old oozes quality in all he does. Baxter was too good for Kidderminster on Saturday, just as he has out-foxed plenty of npower League One defences in his two months with the club.

Moments of sharpness and economy in the second half told almost as much of the story of the ex-Everton striker’s quality as did his latest free-kick success.

In the 65th minute, with the visitors at Aggborough already a goal up from a well-taken Cristian Montano goal, Baxter fooled Harriers goalkeeper Nathan Vaughan by whipping the ball over the defensive wall and inside the near post when a cross rather than shot looked likely.

This is a player who naturally expects to achieve the unexpected. He is also a player who will attract a lot of attention when his contract expires.

It is a huge challenge for chairman Simon Corney to keep hold of Baxter when the transfer window opens at the start of the year.

But for now at least, Athletic fans are able to appreciate his talents. Corney will hope his player can continue to drive the team towards the third round of the FA Cup.

Kidderminster were physical and succeeded at times in roughing up their higher-division opponents.

Nobody felt that more than Cliff Byrne, already suffering with a back problem in the build-up to the game, who took a crack in the ribs in the second half and had to come off the field.

His replacement, Connor Brown, went to right-back with Reece Wabara shifting inside to the centre for the final half-hour.

Keith Briggs curled a delightful 25-yard shot inches wide of Dean Bouzanis’s left-hand post with the Athletic ‘keeper beaten; Nathan Malbon’s header at the start of the second half was well-tipped over by Bouzanis prior to Josh Gowling’s free header arrowing just off-target; and after a few goalmouth scrambles, Brown blatantly stopped a shot from Ryan Rowe with his hand. Referee David Webb gave a corner, which summed up his afternoon.

These were the opportunities Steve Burr’s side failed to take.

But had Athletic converted all of their own, the game would have been over by half time rather than the moment Baxter found the net for a fifth time in six matches.



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