Everything... but the goals

MAN IN THE MIDDLE . . . Lee Croft gets to grips with two Scunthorpe rivals

FOR quite some time, it seemed that a mysterious force field existed around one of the goal frames at Glanford Park.

Try as they did, repeatedly in a first half in which a high press and scything attacks cut Scunthorpe to ribbons, Athletic simply could not get the ball in between the two uprights - even when it looked easier to score than miss, as with Billy Mckay's gold-plated, copper-bottomed opportunity after half an hour.

It didn't help that Iron goalkeeper Luke Daniels decided to put on a man-of-the-match performance, in the opinion of the home club's supporters. Twice he denied Ryan Flynn in a first 45 minutes in which boss Stephen Robinson's game plan could hardly have been better executed - apart from the obvious, which he can do little about from inside the dug-out.

Athletic should have been 3-0 up at half-time at Glanford Park, still, somehow, home to not one away win yet in 2016-17.

Scunthorpe, shoddy in possession in the opening period, were bound to improve and did just that. Still, that goal area at the opposite end to which Athletic's travelling fans - short-changed in action terms - were stationed continued to baffle even the officials.

FIERCE

Kevin van Veen looked for all money to have put the ball over the line three minutes into the second half. His fierce shot was hacked up into the air by Ollie Banks, guarding the near post. The ball slammed against the stanchion inside the goal and bounced back out, with referee Graham Salisbury glancing to his assistant before waving play on.

No Premier League goal-line technology meant no goal, as did Tom Hopper's header which hit the net seconds later only to be ruled out for offside.

When ultimate match-winner Scott Wiseman curled a lovely effort that skimmed off the crossbar and post before bouncing away in the 57th minute, shortly after Connor Ripley had leapt to his left to produce a stunning, clawing save from Charlie Goode's header, it seemed possible that this would go down as one of the most entertaining 0-0 draws in the game's history.

Then, with Athletic under the cosh, Paul Green was sent off. His first booking after 58 minutes was for a lunge on Hopper; his second, seven minutes and three further fouls later, came after he was slightly blocked off by Duane Holmes in trying to clear. Diving in on Van Veen, he seemed to get some of the ball, but enough of his man for Salisbury to produce a red card.

Still, Robinson's side regrouped. And with the hosts mainly resorting to long-range, ambitious pot-shots, it appeared that they might ride out the storm to earn a creditable point.

CONTROLLED

Wiseman had other plans. The former Rochdale right-back controlled a clearance on the edge of the area and with short-handed Athletic unable to close him down in time, pushed the ball onto his right foot before firing past a rooted Ripley via the inside of a post.

Even with such a blow arriving after 81 minutes, Athletic had their high-flying hosts clinging on by the end. Banks, who stood out through both his determination and poise in midfield, had Daniels leaping to tip a drive over the top in added minutes.

Robinson had kicked off here making two changes, with Ousmane Fane and Lee Erwin struggling with slight injuries. The duo dropped to the bench and there was a return in midfield for Green after injury, while Freddie Ladapo got the nod to partner Mckay up front.

The game opened up in lively fashion. Ripley palmed out a low drive from Josh Morris and Van Veen saw a shot deflect and loop a yard over, before Athletic fluffed their lines three times.

The busy Ladapo fed Ryan McLaughlin on the break and though Conor Townsend produced a telling tackle to prevent a shot on goal, with Daniels already committed to a dive as the ball rolled to Mckay all he need do was roll home from 10 yards. He scuffed his attempt wide and held his head in his hands.

On-loan Wigan forward Mckay got his chin up quickly to float a lovely pass into the path of Flynn. Controlling well, the shot was powerful from the penalty spot but was halted by a sprawling Daniels; the same result was produced two minutes before half-time, when Flynn poked a shot which was blocked by the goalkeeper.

Green's dismissal came at a bad time for Athletic and some argued afterwards that the midfielder should have been brought off while on a yellow card.

The counter-argument has it that Green is approaching 500 senior league appearances, with not one red card before Saturday. A manager has his trusted lieutenants and the ex-Doncaster man is one of Robinson's.

Ultimately, Athletic are paying as heavy a price as can be expected after scoring only nine times in 18 league games. Defensively there is plenty to be proud of and chances are being created but so often spurned.

It can't go on and if Athletic are to climb out of trouble, the squad needs to locate its shooting boots.

IN A NUTSHELL: Again, in a season marked by a failure to capitalise on chances, it wasn't to be for Athletic.