Athletic show fighting spirit

Photo: Alan Howarth

ON THE BALL . . . Athletic' s Ollie Banks is under pressure from the Blades defence with Chris Taylor hugging the touchline.

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ATHLETIC showed considerable stomach for the fight against the most potent opponents in the division.

Ahead through Tope Obadeyi's second goal for the club, another close-range finish to add to an increasing recent pile of true striker's efforts, John Sheridan's side were pegged back after half-time when Jay O'Shea struck home sweetly from the edge of the area.

Still the hosts pressed on. Before the equaliser, the hard-working and rejuvenated Lee Erwin headed narrowly wide; after it, up until 26-goal striker Billy Sharp uncharacteristically wasted a decent shooting chance by blazing over left-footed in the final five minutes, Athletic were in charge of the territorial battle.

There was a mutual respect between the clubs before and after this blood-and-thunder game, in which an under-strength Athletic midfield gave everything to the cause.

In-form Southend will know what Athletic are about for the Roots Hall test on Saturday. A win there is not out of the question for Sheridan's remarkably resilient side, who have the bit between their collective teeth.

After that Fleetwood and then, Bolton, both at home. There is nothing to fear, given that in the Blades, Athletic matched the best that the division has to offer.

It is quite something that a club that has managed to score only 27 times in 39 games stands any chance of avoiding relegation.

But even in switching to a system with three at the back and up against a Chris Wilder side now boasting 74 league goals, Athletic were in the main comfortable at fielding attacks from the visitors.

Anthony Gerrard and Peter Clarke must be one of the most imposing defensive pairs in the lower leagues and alongside them, Brian Wilson looked at ease until an Achilles problem forced him off at half-time. His replacement, teenager George Edmundson, was making only his second league showing of the season when he got slightly stuck underneath a high ball directed at James Hanson, whose nod-down was dispatched superbly by O'Shea in the 50th minute.

That was a rare slip by Athletic. The much-criticised pitch may be past its sell-by date, but the likes of Paul Green, even at the age of 33, continues to look anything but with his lung-busting charges across the field.

Aiden O'Neill was missing due to his involvement with Australia's under-23s at a training camp in Murcia, Spain. Ousmane Fane thus came in for his first start since the away draw at Swindon in mid-February and performed bravely, taking a fierce whack at one stage when competing for a header and setting the hosts' goal in motion by robbing the ball from Ethan Ebanks-Landell in the 44th minute.

DYNAMIC

Ollie Banks is a far more dynamic player at this stage of the season than he was earlier and on the flank, wing-back Josh Law's cross for the goal was perfectly measured. He had earlier headed over a teasing cross from Erwin, one of the three real scoring chances manufactured by Sheridan's side.

The hard running of Erwin and his strike partner Obadeyi, rightly awarded the sponsors' man-of-the-match award thanks to his direct dribbling at opponents, played a big role in getting Athletic on the front foot early on.

The loss of Aaron Amadi-Holloway to a hamstring injury may have been thought to be a major blow given his ability to hold up play, but a lovely reverse pass from Erwin back into the path of Obadeyi on nine minutes gave a hint that Athletic were in a positive frame of mind.

Sharp got trapped on top of the ball on 14 minutes and was pounced on by a flurry of opponents; Fane was clattered by the yellow-carded Chris Basham seven minutes later. This wasn't the occasion for silky one-touch football.

Athletic had the better of the opening-half exchanges and Law, racing in from the right, couldn't quite control a 31st-minute header that passed a yard over the top.

He made amends a minute before half-time. Invited to run in behind the defence by the wily Green, the pass into him was as well-weighted as the cross that allowed Obadeyi to sweep home from six yards.

In the second half Chris Taylor was a little quiet in an attacking sense, but shaped in a lovely ball that Erwin, racing in front of his marker, glanced not far off-target.

The Blades were unable to really press on after that, though, in credit to an Athletic side that was as well-organised and keen to win loose balls in the middle third as ever.

Erwin spun and shot wide of the near post with an ambitious attempt from 25 yards out and Obadeyi eased silkily past Ebanks-Landell before arrowing in a cross-shot that Simon Moore could only parry behind the goal at his near post.

Sheffield United applied pressure towards the end. Sharp skied a Kieron Freeman cut-back and was denied from point-blank range by Ripley after turning his man inside the area.

In the end, neither manager could be too upset at the outcome.

IN A NUTSHELL: Athletic fought their way to an impressive point.