17th September 2000   

Account's show small surplus

OLDHAM picked up only their second point from the last 21 - and they had to battle hard to get it. Yet despite the shut-out scoreline the contest was often as exciting as it was frustrating. But at least the Latics had something to bank after a miserable run had seen them slump into the bottom four. Veteran keeper, Gary Kelly, played his part. He was in superb form making several fine stops and on a couple of occasions when he was beaten the woodwork came to Oldham’s rescue. Boss, Andy Ritchie, was obviously pleased to take a point against fellow strugglers, Bristol, who showed plenty of attacking aggression. He said ‘‘I thought our chances were more clear cut. We are not playing to the best of our ability but I am sure we will get there‘‘.

Oldham gave a debut to big defender, Chris Lightfoot, who is on loan from First Division Crewe. But he hasn’t played many games recently and was substituted just under the hour as it was obvious he was struggling with the pace. Oldham’s first escape from the woodwork came in the eighth minute when Peter Beadle headed against a post. Five minutes before the break, they were in luck again when Scott Murray put a screaming shot on top of the bar. But in between, Oldham scared the life out of the Robins and they had much to thank keeper, Steve Phillips. He made two, point blank saves in the 26th minute to deny Mark Innes and Mark Allott after Danny Boshell had floated a quickly taken free kick into the box. Phillips was on his knees in the 35th minute, keeping out an effort from lively Canadian striker, Carlo Corazzin. But the best chance of the game fell to Andy Ritchie’s strugglers one minute before the interval.

Corazzin cleverly sent Allott racing clear with a delightfully threaded ball to leave last season’s top scorer on a one-to-one with Phillips. But as the keeper rushed out to narrow the angle he stopped the striker’s shot on the penalty spot. Allott isn’t having the best of times and was substituted early in the second half. The game continued to produce plenty of intensity and the Latics were under the cosh as Bristol went all out for a late winner, but the home side’s defence, which has been leaking goals for fun, this time held firm. Oldham, already badly hit by injuries suffered another blow in the dying minutes when Paul Rickers was carried off. He later had eight stitches in his thigh and one in a knee and is now out of Tuesday night’s Worthington Cup Tie at home to Premiership side, Sheffield Wednesday. 

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Two struggling teams served up a Boundary Park stalemate but there was no shortage of incident or goalmouth action. Bristol City goalkeeper Steve Phillips was man-of-the-match thanks to a string of saves while his side hit the woodwork twice in the first half. Oldham have now taken only two points from seven matches after starting the season with a comprehensive victory over Port Vale. City have also failed to win since the opening day although this result ended a sequence of four consecutive league defeats. Danny Wilson's side came closest after eight minutes when Ion Tistimetanu crossed from the left and Peter Beadle's powerful header came back off the post.

Oldham came back strongly, with Mark Innes getting forward to deliver some awkward crosses but it was a set piece which brought their first serious effort after 24 minutes when Danny Boshell hit a 30-yard free kick which Phillips palmed around the post. The keeper's finest moment came only two minutes later after Neil Adams crossed from the right and Innes met the ball at the far post. His header from only four yards looked goalbound until Phillips made a brilliant block and, from the follow-up he somehow got a hand to Mark Allott's shot. After Carlo Corazzin shot straight at Phillips from 12 yards, City hit the woodwork for a second time. Midfielder Scott Murray cut inside onto his right foot and hit a curling shot from 25 yards which clipped the Oldham crossbar. The home side wasted a clear-cut opening just before the break when Corazzin sent Allott racing clear, only for his angled drive to fall within the reach of Phillips.

There was a blow for City on the stroke of half-time when Paul Holland was carried off after badly twisting his knee. Wilson admitted afterwards: "It looks like a bad one." At the start of the second period City's dominance saw them go close through Murray and Tony Thorpe. Tistimetanu blasted over in the 70th minute when well placed and at the other end, Oldham had penalty appeals ignored after Adams and Andrew Jordan collided in the box. Oldham manager Andy Ritchie said: "It might not have been a classic but at least it was an improvement on the game at Reading when we lost 5-0. We still are not as smooth as we can be but on chances we probably should have won." Wilson added: "Oldham had a point to prove and people could have underestimated so this is a good point. We create chances without finishing things off, but that has been the story of our season so far."

TEAMtalk Oldham

In an open attacking game of football which flowed from end to end, both keepers had to be on top form to ensure the match finished 0-0. Gary Kelly made several fine saves, whilst Steve Phillips also pulled off plenty of good saves to ensure the spoils were shared. The Latics were also saved by the woodwork when Peter Beadle's header struck the post in the 8th minute and five minutes before the interval Scott Mural's 25 yard screamer struck the bar. However, it seemed the game was destined to finished scoreless and both sides will know that if they are to start climbing the table they will have to find a goalscorer from somewhere with the Latics having taken 2 points from the last 21 and City having now gone 5 games without a win. 

Oldham Athletic have published their accounts and announced the date of the Annual General Meeting for the year ended 31st May 2000. The AGM will take place on Tuesday 10th October at 6.30 pm in the Sponsors Suite at Boundary Park.The operating statement for last season shows an operating loss of £847,000, this is down from £1.386m for the previous year. Income was up by £66,000 in the 12 months period while expenditure has been reduced by £158,000, however with the sale of Boundary Park taking place during the financial year it meant that the accounts show a small surplus of £95,000 as opposed to a loss of £1.044m last year. Shareholders will be receiving their annual report in the next two days.

Latics game at Bournemouth next Saturday will be refereed by one of the country's top officials David Ellary whilst the fourth official will be the Football League's only female representative Wendy Toms.

Sporting News Weekend Review

Leaders Walsall got a shock when Wade Elliott banged in a last-minute equaliser to give Bournemouth a 1-1 draw at the Bescot Stadium after Brett Angell had put them in front in the first half. But the Saddlers stay on top with Cambridge out of action and Bury beaten 1-0 at the Manor Ground where Oxford United - courtesy of Jamie Cook's 81st minute winner - won for the first time this season.

Reading's three-match winning streak was ended by an 89th-minute penalty at Peterborough where John Cullen's spot kick following Barry Hunter's red card for deliberate hand ball made it 1-0 to Posh.

Wycombe were another top-six side to go down, beaten 1-0 by Guy Branston's goal at Rotherham who won at home for the first time this season despite having David Artell sent off for a professional foul two minutes from time.

Wrexham's David Ridler was another to see red, dismissed for violent conduct in the 56th minute of the 1-1 draw at Colchester. Trinidad and Tobago international Hector Sam scored his sixth of the season to put the visitors ahead before Tony Lock earned Colchester a point on 63 minutes.

Brentford were looking forward to their first home win in the league since last January when they led Millwall through Andy Scott's 51st-minute goal, but Stuart Nethercott spoiled the party with an equaliser ten minutes from time.

Notts County - winners on their previous three away trips this season - went down 1-0 to a Steven Howard goal in the 69th minute at Northampton.

Swansea's first home win of the season was a swell affair, a 4-0 triumph over Luton who had Jude Stirling sent off in the 31st minute for deliberate hand ball. Matthew Bound cashed in from the resulting penalty and Jamaican international Walter Boyd, Nick Cusack and Stuart Roberts completed the rout.

Meanwhile, Bristol Rovers and Wigan played out a 0-0 draw at the Memorial Ground, while Bristol City had the same scoreline at Oldham.