End of Latics cup run

Photo: Pictures by ALAN HOWARTH

seeing red: Sheffield United’s Che Adams (hidden) gets his marching orders after tussling with Athletic skipper Liam Kelly (on floor).

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Sheffield United 1, Oldham Athletic 0

WHAT could have been won, other than an initial £27,000 in prize money, will only become apparent when tonight’s FA Cup third-round draw is made.

For the second season in a row, Athletic failed to hit a crucial final double at the round-two stage.

Danny Philliskirk struck against a post early in the game and Jake Cassidy, powering on to a whipped-in Joseph Mills cross, hammered a header into the turf and over the bar when perfectly positioned to hit the bullseye.

Had the former Wolves man Cassidy scored then, it would have made the game 1-1 against a Blades side down to 10 men courtesy of a Che Adams indiscretion in the 67th minute.

Thanks to former Rochdale man Matt Done’s quick feet and lightning reactions, arrowing home after turning past Brian Wilson after 47 minutes, Athletic manager David Dunn took the bus home contemplating what could have been.

On a blustery day in South Yorkshire, with crisp packets and plastic bags littering the pitch, it would be going too far to suggest the game was also a load of rubbish. On show were two teams markedly low on confidence, with three wins between them in 16 games

Dunn went back to first principles in terms of team selection, with fewer options than for a league game. No Michael Higdon, no Jay Fulton and no Richie Wellens.

Cameron Dummigan was not quite fit to start at right-back, where he has linked up so effectively with Danny Philliskirk in front of him, while Ricardo Fuller — ineffective at Crewe — was dropped.

So Dunn, on the back of three losses before this game, employed a lone striker in Cassidy, with Carl Winchester just behind him. Further back still, Liam Kelly and Mike Jones stiffened up the midfield.

Pragmatism was at play. The idea was not to blitz Nigel Adkins’ ailing side, but to fight it out and nick a goal. But Dunn’s men didn’t create much, rarely getting in behind the home back-line.

Aside from Done’s first-minute shot, which seemed to take a deflection before goalkeeper David Cornell showed brilliant reactions to push it aside with an outstretched left arm, the Blades also barely threatened before half time.

Philliskirk’s chance arrived in the 13th minute. The six-goal top scorer won the initial free-kick and then got across his man to arrive first to Mark Yeates’s delivery at the near post. A right-footed shot took a nick off Bob Harris and came back off the post.

At times, Athletic were a little hurried clearing their lines, Dunn urging calmness from the technical area. United found it tough to get their front men into the game and Billy Sharp — who missed a glorious chance in the 1-1 draw at SportsDirect.com Park earlier this season — was hauled off at the break, which arrived after Harris was carried off on a stretcher with a facial injury requiring hospital treatment.

Two minutes into the second half, the Blades cut through. Centre-back Neill Collins played a pass into the feet of Done, who skipped past Brian Wilson. Though Cornell got a touch on his right-foot shot it still had enough power to beat the retreating Timothee Dieng.

Jones forced a save from George Long after 61 minutes, batting away a drive after Cassidy had battled with the goalkeeper for a right-wing cross.

Adams’ moment of madness came after a tussle with the excellent Kelly in midfield, apparently shoving the Athletic skipper in the face after the pair had tangled on the ground.

A man down, Adkins’ men manned the barricades and gifted Athletic territory. Dominic Poleon came on to add pace up front, and with Winchester moved wide right where he saw more of the ball, the visitors banged at the door.

Dieng’s neat feet and low shot forced Long to claw the ball out for a corner and Poleon may have had a penalty when the goalkeeper hauled him down in the area. The fleet-footed forward, once on loan at Bramall Lane, wasted a break with a heavy touch which allowed Long to gather.

But that came after John Brayford had smashed a left-footed shot which beat Cornell, hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced a foot over the line in the 87th minute.

Referee Eddie Ilderton and his assistants were unmoved.

Back to the league and Millwall on Saturday. It’s not exactly show-business, but with Athletic in the bottom four it is pressing that the improvements shown here are taken on to the next level.