Homework pays off as Oxley produces vital penalty save

WELL DONE, MATE: James Dayton is lifted off the ground by Jonson Clarke-Harris, watched by his Athletic team-mates, following his superb goal.

MARK Oxley didn’t manage to save a single penalty in a practice shoot-out the day before the game, but revealed his delight at coming up trumps when his team needed him most against Port Vale.

Athletic’s on-loan Hull City goalkeeper felt he could have done better with the curling Jennison Myrie-Williams strike which levelled a highly-entertaining clash at Boundary Park on Saturday.

Oxley (22) made up for it, though, by stopping Athletic old boy Lee Hughes’ spot-kick with his legs only six minutes later.

And in a frantic game in which every player needed his wits about him, the Sheffield-born goalie produced a flying save from Chris Robertson’s header only seconds later.

“Looking back, some people might say it was a pivotal time in the game. We could have gone behind and then crumbled, you never know.

“I was just happy I could redeem myself for the goal.”

Oxley revealed the detail which goes into preparing for spot-kicks, with Hughes’ penalty technique analysed on video in consultation with Athletic goalkeeping coach Bobby Mimms.

“My inkling was to go to my left, which I did,” Oxley added.

“But I knew that if you go early, he (Hughes) tries to put it down the middle. So luckily, I got a trailing leg on it.”

“Apart from the goal and the penalty we looked comfortable, to be honest,” Oxley added. “It was going back to pre-season, the way we played against Huddersfield.

“It is what we are about. Once we have got one goal we don’t sit back, we look to get another and then another.

“Dayts produced and it was good for Roons to get goals to his name as well. It was a great win.”