Latics suffer Payne game

TEMPERS FRAY . . . a melee ensues between players from both sides after a challenge on Ryan McLaughlin

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ATHLETIC showed plenty of passion but lacked for direction in a chastening opening-day defeat.

Oxford United had never before in 15 attempts won on this ground.

But with on-loan Huddersfield forward Jack Payne the best on show with his probing, clever runs, Pep Clotet's visitors had too much wit about them for Athletic to cope with.

There were moments to pep up fans who willed a three-point boost to kick the Sky Bet League One season off with.

Craig Davies had the best chance of the game at a point where Athletic were, at worst, on par with their slick-passing opponents. The returning striker tried to cut across the ball when shooting from the left of the area with his right foot and power was lacking to beat Simon Eastwood in the U's goal.

That was in the 37th minute, just before Wes Thomas broke through to control and calmly slot past the onrushing debutant goalkeeper Ben Wilson.

Matches are won and lost on such margins and in the second half, when substitute Tope Obadeyi was the beneficiary of a robust tackle from Ousmane Fane - clearly the hosts' most switched-on player in midfield - in spite of being in prime position and on his favoured left foot, the finish applied was high, wide and not particularly handsome.

Soon after, Payne affected more damage by teeing up Josh Ruffles for the game-winning second goal.

Athletic had a strong case for a late penalty, when Chris Ribeiro shunted the ball out of play with his arms (a corner kick was given) and had earlier felt aggrieved that Thomas had been offside (replays suggested he was not).

There was also one moment in the 26th minute when Eastwood charged out of his goal to challenge Davies in the air. The goalkeeper may have made contact with the ball with an arm, but it was not clear-cut enough for David Webb to take action.

By that stage, Athletic had made a tactical withdrawal. Starting out with a diamond in midfield - Ollie Banks was at the base, Ousmane Fane to the left of Paul Green and Ryan McLaughlin down the middle - with no outlets out wide, front two Davies and Aaron Amadi-Holloway were fishing on scraps as Athletic went too direct in approach.

There was a quick reversion to a more traditional 4-4-2, with McLaughlin seeing more ball wide on the left, but a tight contest was free of real scoring chances prior to Davies' failure and Thomas's calm finish.

Oxford went close twice at the back end of the opening half. First, Thomas found the side-netting after being slipped in down the left of the area by Payne; then, Ryan Ledson's well-struck shot from 20 yards was met by a firm right hand low to his right by Ben Wilson.

Clotet's side were the quicker out of the blocks in the second half.

Ben Wilson did very well to deny Payne from close range after a quite superb passing move that involved the classy James Henry and Rothwell down the left.

Still, Athletic might have levelled on 52 minutes. Rob Hunt was freed down the left flank and his cut-back was well-measured; Paul Green's air-kick with his left foot, 12 yards out, far less so.

Ruffels' goal was well-made by a visiting side who, on this evidence, you can expect to see challenging near the top of the division this season. From on the penalty spot in meeting Payne's square pass into his path, the midfielder's low finish past the right hand of the diviing Ben Wilson was emphatic.

Athletic were grateful for some late leniency on referee Webb's behalf. When Mike Williamson went in robustly on Ryan McLaughlin on 79 minutes, Athletic's winger reacted angrily and as players swarmed around, he appeared to plant his head into an opponent's chest. Webb handed Williamson a yellow card but McLaughlin, already booked earlier, was not sanctioned.

Ribeiro then seemed to handle in the box. With four minutes of normal time remaining, a penalty at that stage could have set up a grandstand finish.

In the end, Athletic lacked for cohesion and creativity deep in opposition territory. While all the talk in the build-up was about goalkeeping, envious eyes will have been glancing at Oxford's Payne, who lived up to his name by showing Sheridan the guile his side are missing.