Tope at the double as Latics ease home

Photo: Alan Howarth

ON THE RUN: Athletic's Ryan Flynn (right).

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TOPE Obadeyi continued his mini-hot streak by scoring two late goals as Athletic ran out 3-0 winners at Salisbury FC in the second friendly of the summer.

The opening match of a training camp in Bath - Swindon are the opponents at the County Ground behind closed doors tomorrow - this was something of a stroll for John Sheridan's men.

And while the manager will have been pleased with the physicality of Craig Davies and the wiles of Flynn, he won't have learned anything new about the capabilities of goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, the only man in the visitors' line-up to play the full 90 minutes.

TESTED

The Leeds goalkeeper, who is on trial for the week before a possible loan move, was not seriously tested at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium.

The only moment of defensive worry for Athletic came in the 85th minute. Salisbury's Marvin Brooks was sent down the middle totally in the clear after breaking the offside trap, but dallied as he rounded Peacock-Farrell to allow Anthony Gerrard to step in and block the route to the unguarded goal.

By then, Sheridan's side were 2-0 to the good.

The first strike came with only a minute and 57 seconds gone. A strong run down the right by overlapping full-back Cameron Dummigan was followed by a clever pull-back behind the defensive line that allowed Flynn to measure his run and plant a clean connection on the ball to send it low beyond goalkeeper Charlie Searle's stretching right hand.

Darius Osei might have done better when Davies shrugged off his marker to send in a lovely cross, but the tough eight yards out was heavy and the chance vanished.

Peter Clarke headed wide from a corner at the far post as the one-way traffic continued, before the expected raft of changes arrived at half-time.

Sheridan was imploring his men to move the ball more quickly and Obadeyi certainly added some fizz to proceedings.

His first-time shot on the turn was beaten out by Searle on 56 minutes, before at the other end Lewis Benson was not too far away with a 25-yard free-kick that briefly threatened to dip in time to worry Peacock-Farrell.

Athletic possessed an extra gear in the closing stages. Obadeyi stooped to nod in a cross from the right by Flynn from close range in the 81st minute.

His second - a third of pre-season already, folliwng the strike at Stalybridge last weekend - was down to personal determination. The pacy forward robbed a defender of possession on the left and raced towards goal, before slamming a shot through Searle on 89 minutes.

Salisbury, who had boss Steve Claridge barking out the orders, were game non-league opponents, but Athletic will be content with their night's work in the south-west.



Salisbury: Searle, Colson, Wannell, Wheeler, Mundy, Whelan, Roberts, Benson, Green, Young, Francis. Subs: Brooks, Ball, Herbert, Perrett, O'Keefe, Flint, Tavares, Bola, Larbi.

Athletic (4-3-3): Peacock-Farrell; Dummigan (Mantack 46), Clarke (Gerrard 46), Edmundson, McLaughlin (Stott 46); Green (Osei 74), Banks (Gardner 46), Fawns (Fane 46); Osei (Obadeyi 46), Davies (Amadi-Holloway 46), Flynn (Fawns 82).

Att: 487