Defensive rock a must after latest blunders

Photo: Vincent Brown

striker Jake Cassidy gets up best to win a header.

2 More Image(s) In Gallery

Athletic 1, Doncaster 2

“PERSON required:

“Our proud old company has a unique opportunity for a battle-hardened defender seeking to expand his horizons and kick some backsides.

“The main purpose of the role is to assist in the prevention of conceding goals of an increasingly-desperate nature, as was in evidence in yesterday's operations. The preservation of the company's current standing is at stake.

“The required skill-set would suit a person of experience working at this level. A history of badly broken noses, a grunting vocal manner and an uncompromising gait would certainly be an advantage, as would an ability to show initiative and cloud-based thinking by smashing opposing strikers to bits in the air.

“Communication skills are vital – e.g. “don't let Doncaster striker Andy Williams turn and shoot in the box after 12 minutes, do stop that cross coming in, don't let's go 2-0 down right on half-time” - as is an affinity for a hard slog (forecast to arrive in the first part of 2016). Interested parties should contact manager David Dunn as soon as possible. Pay is minimal. Relegation is a non-negotiable.”

These are hard times for Athletic. The performance here was vibrant at times, but again punctuated by letting in goals that would shame a sozzled Sunday League side.

Williams must have thought it was too good to be true that he could take down a flighted free-kick delivered into the penalty area after 12 minutes. His planted finish after that, with the outside of his right foot, was superb.

Up to that point Athletic had opened brightly, in keeping with the excellent effort in drawing 1-1 at Coventry in their previous outing.

Dunn went for an attacking 4-4-2 shape and Carl Winchester might have done better than head over from an inviting cross by Mike Jones from the opposite flank, two minutes in.

The Rovers goal marked the eighth league game of 11 so far in which Athletic – prone to more than the odd lapse in concentration at the back – failed to score first at home.

A defensive leader is a must in the New Year. Darren Ferguson's men could have doubled their lead after 14 minutes, the terrific Conor Grant striking an angled drive against a post. Athletic regrouped, though, and pushed to bring the game level.

Liam Kelly, determined as ever, saw his half-volley nick a yard wide off a defender and a stooping header from Jones brought a neat save from Thorsten Stuckmann, before Timothee Dieng steamed in from the resulting corner and directed a header which flicked on to the top of the crossbar.

At the other end, though, former Yeovil and Swindon man Williams was causing mayhem as a lone striker. One spin and shot travelled a foot over the top and an unchallenged far-post header was palmed out by David Cornell before he added a second.

Harry Middleton somehow emerged from the left corner of the field with the ball, was allowed to flight in a cross which Cornell could only get fingertips to, and Williams scuffed a volley which trickled in off a post as Winchester and Richard Eckersley could only stand and watch.

Rhys Murphy – back from a successful stint at Crawley and starting for the first time under Dunn – forced Stuckmann into a smart diving save as an end-to-end opening period drew to a close.

The ball in from Jones was terrific, the header too close to the goalkeeper.

Athletic hauled off centre-back James Wilson at half-time, as a result of the continuing defensive inadequacy.

On came Cameron Dummigan, Brian Wilson moving across to centre back, but Athletic took a while to take the game to the visitors who saw Grant hit two efforts not far off target.

Dummigan then saw his shot deflected wide and as Athletic penned in Doncaster, the introduction of Mark Yeates from the bench provided added threat from the left flank.

Murphy stabbed home from close range after a a jinking run and cross-shot by the winger, providing hope Athletic could rescue a point.

And in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Murphy headed wastefully over from a delightful Yeates cross.

Most of those extra minutes came after Rovers defender Andy Butler was taken to the sidelines with a bloody face after an aerial challenge. Butler, a dominant leader who almost joined Athletic once, was the epitome of what Dunn knows his soft-bellied side need.