Rough justice for gritty Latics

SALUTE . . . Youssouf Mchangama celebrates his superb equaliser for Athletic. Pictures: Darren Robinson

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Athletic 1, Doncaster 2

Blood spilled during third defeat in a row

DAVID Syers came off the substitutes’ bench to rub a handful of salt into Athletic’s deepening wounds at Boundary Park, earning muscular Rovers three points their football didn’t quite merit.

The midfield man’s added-time header from a cross by David Cotterill handed Dean Saunders’ side a second league victory of the season over Athletic.

The home side’s defending was found wanting for the second time in just over 90 minutes. Syers placed his header perfectly past stricken home ‘keeper Dean Bouzanis to hand Athletic a third straight defeat, dropping the side to 17th in the league.

It meant Youssouf Mchangama’s searing equalising strike in a vibrant first-half show from Athletic counted for nothing.

That is a particularly harsh verdict on the Comoros Islands international, whose dipping 20-yard shot which defeated Dons ‘keeper Gary Woods in its flight came shortly after his ultimately impressive recall to the side had appeared to be only a brief one.

Cristian Montano was kitted out ready to come on when Mchangama recovered, Lazarus-like, from a nasty gash to his knee and decided to carry on.

Matt Smith, too, was in the wars towards a half-time break that couldn’t come soon enough for Rovers. The tall striker clashed heads with visiting captain Rob Jones and needed to head off down the tunnel for stitches in a head wound after 33 minutes, before returning for the second half.

In addition to spilling blood for the cause, Athletic played by far the slicker football in the

opening half – albeit without carving out many clear scoring chances.

The game settled down in the second half and Bouzanis made one great stop on his line and Mvoto a goal-saving tackle that was exquisitely timed on Cotterill.

Athletic were rocking at that time, but prior to Syers’ intervention appeared at least as likely to grab a winning goal – if there was to be one.

For all the applause that encircled Boundary Park at times on Boxing Day, though, a familiar doom again descended at the final whistle.

As rugged Rovers celebrated keeping pace with the division’s leaders, Athletic were left

considering a sixth home defeat of the league season.

That run, featuring 12 goals in a dozen games, can’t continue. It mustn’t, against Crewe on Saturday. Athletic’s first-half performance was full of brightness and vitality.

It promised a lot more than another defeat and, along with it, an 11th suspension of an ill-disciplined campaign.

The blow of losing a third-minute goal to captain Jones, who reacted quickest to head home a rebound of Billy Paynter’s stretching shot which hit the face of the far post as Athletic tried and failed to play for offside off a deep free-kick, was one the team reacted positively to.

Smith headed a few feet wide after connecting with Lee Croft’s corner.

And as well as a series of Jose Baxter efforts which caused Woods some trouble, a superb long-range Mvoto header was sharply and acrobatically tipped over the crossbar by the Rovers custodian.

With bandaged Smith back on the field, Athletic started the second half on the front foot before Doncaster began to assert the control they threatened in the late stages of the opening period.

Only Paynter will know how he failed to put the ball over the line from inside the six-yard box when connecting with one of a series of accurate Cotterill deliveries after 65 minutes.

Bouzanis smothered as Doncaster appealed in vain.

Two minutes later, Mvoto – already on a yellow card – produced a brilliant saving tackle as Cotterill hared in for a one-on-one.

The game then appeared to be meandering towards a stalemate, despite pressure from Paul Dickov’s side.

Then came a shot from James Husband which extended Bouzanis.

And he was defeated soon after by Syers in the first of three additional minutes of action.

Back, briefly, to Mvoto’s caution. With Robbie Simpson already serving a ban, Athletic are forced to examine how they will respond to losing yet another player’s services.

Referee Rob Lewis offered a yellow card to the centre-back despite it appearing to be James Wesolowski who committed an offence near the home dug-out.

Nonetheless, Mvoto’s 55th-minute infringement amid a light tangle with Paynter was his fifth caution of the season and it rules him out of the home game with Crewe on Saturday.

It was that kind of a frustrating day for the club.