Sloppy Latics hit low point

Photo: Alan Howarth

Ryan Flynn

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A PIGEON, startled into flight by the ball interrupting a search for scraps of food.

A small-sided juniors game at half-time, featuring a cracking goal from Chaddy Park Eagles.

The pre-match beer. The half-time pint. The post-match curry.

These were some of the select Saturday highlights for the Athletic supporter present for the MK Dons defeat.

Stephen Robinson's side fell to the bottom of the division thanks to Coventry's surprise win at Port Vale.

Any club in any league will have off-days ­- but Athletic have had two in a row at home, with this following on from the lifeless showing against Swindon.

In between was an enterprising effort at Charlton in which Athletic dominated.

But that's of small consolation to those fans who bought season tickets hoping for and expecting goals.

Robinson's men have now drawn blanks in five of their six home league outings this season ­- and that's clearly a recipe for struggle.

When Ben Reeves scored the first goal to audible groans from the stands ­- the ball wriggled under the body of goalkeeper Connor Ripley before trickling across the line ­- there was a sense of grim inevitability as to what was to come.

Athletic were already playing too much safety-first football, a sign of a side low on confidence in front of its own fans.

OVERHEAD

Though Peter Clarke almost levelled the game with an overhead kick just after the break, during the hosts' best spell, in truth MK Dons won at a canter.

The second goal was also down to an error. Ryan McLaughlin tried to trick his way out of trouble and was caught on the ball, forcing Clarke to race to the right and hack down his man.

Samir Carruthers shaped in a teasing free-kick and with no defender able to get near him, Kieran Agard flicked a header beyond Ripley.

The same man later hit the crossbar as Athletic did their best to chase the game.

Robinson kept faith with the side that had earned a point at The Valley, meaning there was no room in the starting line-up for Lee Erwin.

The Scot came on later ­- not to a great deal of effect ­- but in a tentative performance collectively, only Ladapo troubled David Martin in the Dons goal prior to Clarke's acrobatic attempt.

POSING

The on-loan Crystal Palace striker didn't look to be posing too much danger as he angled a run to the right of the area after 22 minutes, but his shot was heading under the crossbar but for Martin's reactions in tipping over.

Karl Robinson's side were by a distance the more threatening, though.

Ryan Colclough, who gave Cameron Dummigan a torrid afternoon, forced Ripley into an early near-post smother and with the home crowd quiet, Nicky Maynard again had the goalkeeper working with a dipping 25-yard shot that bounced awkwardly in front of him.

Athletic were incoherent and sloppy, though. When Reeves spun to pick up the ball in a pocket of space before heading towards goal in the 36th minute, it was the sort of clever play the home side lacked throughout.

The was still a bad one to concede, with Ripley - one of the stars of the season so far - culpable.

McLaughlin was at least testing full-back George Baldock with his pace, and after the Dons defender had been booked, he pulled a hamstring in tripping the Northern Ireland international for a second time and could possibly have been cautioned again.

With two changes made at half-time ­- Fane was having a nightmare game and Reckord, who complained of illness, was also off the pace ­- Athletic switched to a 4-3-3 formation for the second period.

Erwin operated up front, while Charles Dunne was a like-for-like replacement for Reckord at left-back.

Robinson's charges upped the tempo temporarily and in hitting the crossbar after Billy Mckay had hooked the ball over his own head, could easily have equalised.

Reeves struck a free-kick narrowly wide with Ripley scrambling across to get near it and Clarke, on a one-man crusade, poked and effort too close to Martin.

The cheap second goal followed and the game was up for an Athletic side that failed to test the visitors afterwards.

In the 66th minute, neat footwork from Maynard was followed by a shot that drifted a couple of yards wide of Ripley's left-hand post and Agard fired against the crossbar from inside the area after a Reeves lay-off.

IRONIC

Dummigan and Paul Green sustained late knocks with all substitutes already used and when Cameron Burgess looped a dolly catch for Martin with his head there were ironic cheers.

The natives are restless and they certainly deserve more goals for their money.

IN A NUTSHELL: For a second game running at home, Athletic got what they deserved - nothing.