Off-key Latics firing blanks
Reporter: TONY BUGBY
Date published: 05 October 2009
Athletic 0, Yeovil 0
ATHLETIC’S home goalless draw against Yeovil was far removed from the ‘champagne’ football of four days earlier.
It appeared as though the magnum was corked as it was a decidedly flat performance on Saturday compared with what was sampled in midweek against MK Dons.
Manager Dave Penney made the analogy about it being impossible to play ‘champagne’ football every week.
The trouble was that Athletic raised expectations after their sparkling performance against MK Dons, which made Saturday’s display difficult to swallow.
Athletic were well below their best, though Yeovil are due some credit for a battling and workmanlike display which deserved some reward.
Despite this being a poor performance compared with others of late, Athletic still had enough chances to have won at a canter.
Keigan Parker, in particular, will be haunted by a couple he wasted, one being a contender for a miss-of-the-season award.
But there was a third clean sheet in the last four games as Athletic are defending well as a unit. And the only one conceded was an unfortunate own goal from keeper Dean Brill against MK Dons when the ball rebounded off a post and struck him on the back of the head as he lay on the ground.
Athletic’s midfield wasn’t at the races, though, allowing Yeovil time and space as Wales under-21 captain Shaun MacDonald, who is on a three-month loan from Swansea, ran the show in the middle.
The ginger-haired MacDonald was class, and by far the best player on the pitch, while former Athletic man J P Kalala provided much of the graft alongside him.
Pawel Abbott and Parker both put in hard-working shifts up front, with Parker only let down in front of goal by poor finishing.
It was hardly a surprise that Penney named an unchanged side from midweek with Joe Colbeck again on the bench.
There was little to warm the cockles of the heart in the dour opening on a bitterly cold afternoon.
Indeed, Yeovil could have taken the lead midway through the first half when Ryan Mason, completely free on the right side of the box, pulled his shot wide.
Parker should have broken the stalemate just after the half-hour mark he Parker raced on to a long ball down the field, outpaced former Athletic defender Terrell Forbes only to amazingly drag his shot wide with only keeper Alex McCarthy to beat.
Yeovil had the ball in the net only for Craig Davies, yet another ex-Athletic player on view, to have his effort ruled out for helping the ball over the line with his hand, for which he was booked.
Athletic finished the half strongly as Parker had a deflected cross spectacularly turned over the bar by McCarthy, who also saved well from Chris Taylor who lofted the rebound from his initial effort over the empty net.
Taylor, who has yet to score this season, could not believe his miss as he sank to his knees beating the ground in despair.
Kelvin Lomax, who was concussed, was replaced by Jon Worthington for the restart, with Alex Marrow reverting to right-back, while Colbeck came on for Dean Furman and Ryan Brooke for Taylor as Penney used all three substitutes by the three-quarter mark.
They failed to ignite the performance and chances were again at a premium in the second period, though Parker had two decent openings which he fluffed when, on reflection, he would have been better passing.
Andy Welsh and Kalala also had strikes at goal which weren’t far off target as Yeovil gave as good as they got as the game petered out into a goalless draw.
It was a disappointment on the day although, in the overall scheme of things, there is no doubt Athletic would certainly have settled for 10 points from a possible 12 which has shot them from the lower to upper reaches of the table.
ATHLETIC: Brill, Lomax (Worthington 46), Sheehan, Hazell, Gregan, Whitaker, Furman (Colbeck 58), Marrow, Taylor (Brooke 65), Abbott, Parker. Subs (not used): Lee, Black, Ollerenshaw, McKerr.
YEOVIL: McCarthy, Lindegaard (Hutchins 84), Forbes, Caulker, Jones, Tomlin, MacDonald, Kalala, Welsh (Smith 87), Mason (Murray 60), Parker. Subs (not used): O’Callaghan, Murtagh, Martin, McCollin.
Shots/headers on target: Athletic 3, Yeovil 3.
Shots/headers off target: Athletic 7, Yeovil 7.
Woodwork: Athletic 0, Yeovil 0.
Corners: Athletic 2, Yeovil 7.
Offsides: Athletic 3, Yeovil 3.
Fouls: Athletic 11, Yeovil 14.
The goals - none.
The cards: Worthington (57 foul) for Athletic. Kalala (26 foul), Davies (35 handball) and Smith (90 foul) for Yeovil.
Referee: Mr N S Miller (County Durham).
Attendance: 4,208.
