Christmas giveaway

Photo: Pictures: ALAN HOWARTH

NO WAY PAST: James Tarkowski, who had a rare uncomfortable afternoon at the heart of the Athletic defence, is a formidable barrier on this ocasion.

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Athletic 0, Colchester 2

‘TIS the season of rubbish presents and this was certainly one of those for expectant Athletic fans.

Their team went down with barely a whimper. After all the hype of the forthcoming FA Cup Anfield date, this was a robbery of goodwill.

Colchester was another one of those worldly-wise League One outfits who came with a very specific plan: to disrupt the home team’s rhythm with petty fouls, to grab a lead and to then put on the deep-sea diving gear to lay low in their own penalty area.

The tactics worked for Joe Dunne’s side, who won away from home for the first time since the

opening day of the season.

The goals that claimed the three points for the robust Essex outfit may feature on an ‘Own Goals and Bloopers’ festive DVD next year.

City loanee Ellis Plummer is better than he showed here and will no doubt put this one down to a learning experience.

The same is true for the rest of the team, whose statistics – Athletic had 18 shots to Colchester’s

six – don’t appear too bad. In truth, the visitors rarely looked troubled.

After Plummer’s own goal, Ibehre and Eastmond both pulled shots wide as Athletic dallied defensively. At the other end, Matteo Lanzoni volleyed a tough chance narrowly off target before the second goal increased the gloom.

Lanzoni and the increasingly-disappointing Adam Rooney glanced headers wide, but the first-half show was as rank as it gets.

Athletic bucked up a little in the second period without carving open a massed U’s back line.

Danny Philliskirk and David Mellor, who switched to a central role in midfield after the break as Carl Winchester was unluckily withdrawn as the double substitution took effect, both shot wide as Athletic tried to force the issue.

Colchester almost made it 3-0 when Ryan Dickson forged his way into the left side of the area before pulling a shot narrowly wide of Mark Oxley’s far post.

Johnson held a 30-minute inquisition in the dressing room after the game to get to the bottom of why the energy apparent in a vibrant second half at Mansfield four days earlier had vanished.

But this is a time of benevolence to all, misfiring Athletic teams included.

So let’s put it into context. It was a first home defeat since the opening month of the season, when Tranmere smashed and grabbed a win with a curious late penalty.

It was only the second time, after the loss at Wolves, that Johnson’s men have lost by a two-goal margin all term, and a second loss in the last dozen outings.

And it came with the enforced absence of players who would usually tie the first-choice line-up together. Injured duo James Wesolowski and James Dayton are key performers, as is suspended Jonson Clarke-Harris lately. Genseric Kusunga would definitely have played a part in this one had he been fit, too.

It was as ‘off’ as off-days get. But having been beaten once in the last five away trips, there is still no need for Athletic to feel overly apprehensive about the Boxing Day reunion with Jose Baxter and Co. at Sheffield United.