Latics fall at Barnsley
Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 03 February 2015
Photo: Alan Howarth
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE . . . Athletic forward Conor Wilkinson tries to fend off Barnsley’s Jean-Yves Mvoto (left) and Martin Cranie.
UPDATED: Frustration for Latics as take-off aborted
Barnsley 1, Athletic 0
THINK of anything pretty dull and on balance, sitting through this tedious clash would be worse.
Athletic lost thanks to a Kane Hemmings volley from a terrific Milan Lalkovic cross after a dozen minutes, giving the Tykes their fourth home win in a row.
Before the goal, Jonathan Forte lobbed a shot over the bar. After it, Carl Winchester had the game’s second shot on target in the second half and Forte miscontrolled when well-placed right at the end.
In between - as Athletic passed up the chance to fly up to fifth place - was a stodgy midfield battle that wasn’t pleasant on the eye.
It simply didn’t quite happen on the night. Despite the good vibrations left by the 3-0 win against Notts County and a productive transfer window, the visitors weren’t good enough to break down a defence in which former Athletic player Jean-Yves Mvoto proved impassable.
In midfield, Barnsley harried and pressed with Ben Pearson, impressive on loan from Manchester United.
Athletic had more of the ball but lacked the guile to break down two hard-working banks of four men content to sit on their lead.
In the end, Hemmings’ touch of quality in beating his marker to the near post to smash the ball high into the net proved the crucial difference in a tight League One clash.
Athletic made one change to their starting line-up, with top scorer Forte coming back into the side in place of injured striker Amari Morgan-Smith.
New loan signing Conor Wilkinson was named on the substitutes’ bench, from where he came on to some effect as manager Lee Johnson rolled all his dice at the hour mark.
Athletic opened quite brightly. After eight minutes, Mvoto’s attempted headed clearance was charged down by Forte before he lobbed over the top with the outside of his left foot from the edge of the penalty area.
Mvoto was fortunate to not pick up a yellow card for a crunching foul on Danny Philliskirk, who battled on gamely before being forced off hurt after the interval.
Philliskirk almost made a goal for Forte with a clever run which lacked a sufficiently precise cut-back, but as the first half ran to a close it was clear Athletic needed to up a gear or two.
The game remained fractured even after Johnson introduced Wilkinson, and Joseph Mills - back after suspension - to add power down the flank.
Athletic’s final chance came and went deep into additional time. A cleared free-kick was hoisted back in by Brian Wilson and as a defender could only flick into his path, Forte was unable to quite control the ball in the middle of the penalty area. It was that kind of a night for Athletic.
