Charlie back with a bang as Latics win again

Photo: Pictures by ALAN HOWARTH

TANGLE: James Dayton’s run is halted.

2 More Image(s) In Gallery

Shrewsbury 1, Athletic 2

CHARLIE MacDonald’s finishing prowess was clear for all to see in training on the eve of last night’s landmark win.

“We did some work with the goalkeepers and Charlie scored with eight out of 10,” said manager Lee Johnson as the cold night drew in after another no-frills, spit-and-sawdust three points on the road. “He is ruthless and clinical in that area.”

Athletic’s equaliser was a moment of distilled class, out of keeping with their mainly-woeful first-half showing.

Anton Rodgers bisected the defence with a wonderful sliding pass and MacDonald, restored to the starting line-up for the first time in six weeks after recovering from a damaged ankle, knocked the ball home.

“He hustles and bustles and always gets his backside in,” said Johnson of the Southwark 32 year old. “His movement is fantastic and if he was six feet tall, he would have had a Premier League career.”

Top-flight possibilities are very much in the future tense for the in-form forward who grabbed the winner for Athletic.

The strike was every bit as clinical as that before it. MacDonald burrowed down the left flank and cut the ball back to the edge of the penalty area, where Danny Philliskirk teed himself up to fire home left-footed.

The 286 visiting fans knew enough about Philliskirk’s terrific finishing ability to celebrate his eighth of the campaign almost before the ball had hit the back of the net – just as many Shrewsbury fans did when at the other end, a visual illusion fooled them into thinking that substitute David McAlliser had blasted in a leveller in the 88th minute.

Athletic’s ’keeper had to remain alert on a night when many of the defenders in front of him were not, particularly so when tipping wide substitute Tom Bradshaw’s snap-shot.

Despite being repeatedly warned of the dangers of not being fully fired-up prior to this contest, Athletic started sluggishly and it was little surprise when Graham Turner’s side took the lead.

James Tarkowski collided with Jonathan Grounds to open up the visiting defence, allowing Gozie Ugwu to race in and supply a neat finish.

With a reshuffled line-up, Athletic were thoroughly ineffective until Jonson Clarke-Harris was introduced at the expense of Gillingham goal hero Mike Petrasso.

He had an instant impact, bustling and bullying, almost helping Korey Smith’s quest for a goal.

The captain hit one shot which was deflected against a post and his own rebound follow-up was cleared from inside the six-yard box.

When MacDonald’s equaliser arrived, Athletic were lucky to enter the dressing room on level terms.

The start of the next period was better, from Johnson’s perspective. Breaks forward contained purpose, though in defensive terms only a terrific block by David Mellor preserved parity.

Shrewsbury looked capable of going ahead again before Philliskirk’s timely intervention.

MacDonald and Clarke-Harris both hit the body of home goalkeeper Chris Weale with shots on the

counter-attack, Bradshaw almost getting past Oxley in between.

Athletic held on, though, to net a fourth straight win for the first time since the play-off season of 2006-07.