A New Year, same failing

SO CLOSE ...Port Vale goalkeeper Jak Alnwick tips Billy Mckay's stoppage-time shot onto a post

GOALKEEPING magnificence and penalty-area angst combined to deny Athletic three points against a poor and over-run Port Vale side.

The supporters present for this contest fully appreciated the blood and thunder their men put into this contest.

All that was lacking was composure in front of goal, in the case of Freddie Ladapo's golden chance in the first half to round off his loan spell on a high, and a pair of wonderful saves late on from Valiants goalkeeper Jak Alnwick to somehow scoop away Carl Winchester's close-range header and then Billy Mckay's placed effort in added time.

At the other end of the pitch, Connor Ripley was forced to bend his back to deny Sam Kelly from finding the net with a 20-yard volley before the break and later got down low to his left to push away from Ryan Taylor's free-kick.

But if that implies that Port Vale - a side very much in the image of their caretaker manager Michael Brown, who scrapped and snarled throughout - were equal partners, then the impression is misleading. Athletic were dominant in every department other than the goals-for column.

Under-pressure manager Stephen Robinson took the bold step of making four changes to his starting line-up, seeking a resolution to the goals famine. In came Ollie Banks, Ousmane Fane, Lee Croft and Ladapo; out went Josh Law, Paul Green, Cameron Dummigan and Mckay, all relegated to bench spots.

Athletic, bottom of the table and on a run of three straight defeats, were seeking a first league win since October - when then-leaders Scunthorpe suffered in the most polished display of the season.

Robinson seemed to have his side fired up and the first cohesive move of note was a counter attack started by a Fane burst down the left flank. The ball was shifted infield and eventually back for Ladapo to fire in an effort from 18 yards that at least warmed the hands of goalkeeper Alnwick.

FORMATION

Athletic, operating in a 3-4-1-2 formation with Ryan Flynn at the fulcrum behind the front two, continued to pin back Vale.

And what a chance it was that arrived after 26 minutes. Neat passing around the edge of the box led to a clever reverse pass from Flynn that set Ladapo in.

He might possibly have thought himself offside, with nobody chasing after him, but what is clear is that the tame effort he side-footed wide of the near post from 10 yards with only Alnwick to beat was the sort of chance a team in Athletic's miserable position cannot afford to pass up.

Ladapo's miss was both a cause and a symptom of Athletic's malaise. Like a man stranded and sick on a desert island for a month, served up a delicious fillet steak and asked to keep his table manners, there was a frantic desperation about it - as if finally sending the ball wide was almost a blessed relief from the burden of expectation.

After Kelly hammered in a terrific 20-yard volley that Ripley had to tip over, Ladapo forced Alnwick into a reaction stop at his near post from Darius Osei's cross - or at least, that is how it seemed, only for referee Richard Clark to give a goal kick on the advice of an assistant.

In the second half, Athletic cranked up the pressure and the substitutions had the desired effect.

Ladapo dragged wide with his left foot from the edge of the box and in the 68th minute came Winchester's big chance.

The in-swinging cross from Osei was a beauty and Winchester stretched to plant a firm head on it from six yards, only to see Alnwick push the ball away and safe. He will still feel he should have scored, as he did in the 2-2 draw at Vale Park back in November.

Next, Winchester tried to curl one in from long range - it was going in, but the diving stop from Alnwick was this time for the benefit of the cameras - and after Ripley had denied Taylor's free-kick, Mckay scrapped to win the ball before sending in a shot that was tipped onto the far post

IN A NUTSHELL: Athletic deserved to win but once again could not find the net.