Moving in the right direction

Photo: Alan Howarth

CLOSE CONTROL . . . Athletic midfielder Ryan Flynn brings down the ball under pressure from a Walsall rival

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AN ENTERTAINING tussle between two clubs in transition ended in a stalemate that contained more clues about Athletic's intended direction for this season.

Lee Erwin, who posed a number of issues for Walsall with his energy and clever movement, hit a post with a second-half header after Ryan Flynn's shot had rebounded off the body of goalkeeper Neil Etheridge. Erwin should have scored.

At the other end, in a game Athletic just shaded thanks to superior territory, Connor Ripley gave another hint at his potential with a superb flying save to deny Saddlers record signing, Cyprus international Andreas Makris, his first goal for his new club.

Athletic have so far made 18 new signings under boss Stephen Robinson. Walsall have lost 10 of the 14 men who played in the second leg of last season's play-off semi-final loss to Barnsley.

It was never quite like this back in Jimmy Frizzell's day. On an afternoon dedicated to the memory of the club legend, who died last month, Ian Wood, Ronnie Blair, Alan Young and Keith Hicks were paraded on the pitch before the game.

It seems that the days of players achieving similar iconic status are gone forever, with short-term contracts the norm rather than the exception.

In the context of such wholesale changes between the teams, it was probably too much to expect these well-matched sides to showcase real attacking cohesion on a consistent basis.

On-loan Leeds man Erwin bustled and showed some neat touches, albeit at times with a tendency to over-elaborate. His strike partner Billy Mckay headed too close to Etheridge in the second half and before that had shaped a 20-yard effort wide and over the top.

Darius Osei came on late in the game and looked lively with his pace and power, but real chances were at a premium.

Robinson will be keen to get the deal for his new loan striker from the Premier League tied up as quickly as possible.

TESTED

For the Saddlers, Simeon Jackson also tested Ripley with a left-foot effort after the break during Walsall's best spell. His shot was heading in at the near post, but the goalkeeper got his angles right and a firm right hand turned the ball aside.

Jon Whitney's men also had to absorb the blow of two injuries. Already without skipper Adam Chambers (hamstring), Rico Henry hurt a shoulder when he covered across superbly to head clear a dangerous Marc Klok free-kick after 27 minutes and the £2million-rated left-back had to be carried off on a stretcher.

And Erhun Oztumer, who hurt Athletic badly for Peterborough in their 5-1 win a year ago, got a knee in the lower back early on and didn't come out for the second half.

Athletic were not shy about putting a foot in here and there - Peter Clarke was excellent at the back and had a few battles with lone striker Jackson - and showed purpose in the middle third of the field.

Klok was the only slight disappointment in midfield. The Dutchman was quieter than his team-mates and didn't manage to have the sort of influence exerted by Paul Green, who regularly made important interventions to set up attacks.

DRIVE

Ousmane Fane, all arms and legs and rough edges and with the ability to drive the ball forward, impressed too.

Robinson made two changes to the line-up which saw off Championship side Wigan in midweek.

Out went Brian Wilson, with Jamie Reckord in at left-back after recovering from concussion, while Mckay was involved again up front after his ineligibility for the Wigan game.

Kallum Mantack dropped out of the squad altogether, with Robinson able to name a string bench which did not include new duo Charles Dunne and Calaum Jahraldo-Martin.

A minute's applause in memory of Frizzell saw the whole ground get involved, but there wasn't too much to quicken the pulse in the first 45 minutes.

Florent Cuvelier saw a long-range effort skip off a defender and go over and Franck Moussa, Walsall's best player, hit a low shot that wrong-footed Ripley via a deflection, but passed three feet wide.

Henry's heroics brought a four-minute delay as he was treated on the field and Mckay tried to curl home from outside the area as Athletic had the better of things.

START

Walsall opened up with purpose at the start of the second half and twice went close through Jackson and Makris.

Athletic responded in kind and after Mckay headed at Etheridge from Erwin's cross from the left, the latter man set up Flynn for his initial attempt before striking the woodwork.

It wasn't quite to be for Athletic, but there was no argument with the endeavour on show.

IN A NUTSHELL: Athletic are not quite there yet, but might not be too far off.