18th December 2000  

Boshell booking brings ban

ATHLETIC are winning their race against time to stage tomorrow night’s crucial FA Cup replay against Peterborough. They are now confident of going ahead with the second-round tie, the winners of which travel to Premiership glamour boys Chelsea. With a windfall of up to £200,000 at stake, it is a game Athletic can ill afford to lose in the current financial climate. And Peterborough still have problems with food poisoning in their squad - an outbreak which affected them in the first game - so the sooner Athletic play them, the weaker their team could be. A further £24,000 is being spent on the pitch, which has been plagued by bad drainage for several months. It is being drained and re-turfed, with the final work due to be completed tomorrow afternoon. Athletic picked up no new injuries in the draw at Bury on Saturday, but Lee Duxbury could return tomorrow after a hamstring strain. If Athletic beat Wigan in the LDV Vans Trophy, their second-round game will be away to Walsall. 

ATHLETIC’S match at Bury contained all the ruggedness, rough and tumble we have come to expect from local derbies. Unfortunately, it offered little in the way of excitement. Apart from the first 10 minutes and the final five, this second-division clash was a featureless landscape, interrupted only by a goal for either side and some blood-curdling tackles. Pretty it wasn’t — in fact, there were only four shots on target in the whole game — and a better display would have surely seen Athletic take three points, instead of one. But, by the same token, Bury could have nicked it at the end. And, though The Shakers have now gone nine league games without a win, an honourable draw was just about right. It wasn’t that Athletic played badly, just that they didn’t produce the passing game to go with their undoubted spirit. The best news for Bury was probably the 2,000-strong army of Athletic fans who helped to swell the crowd — the Gigg Lane club has such enormous problems that chairman Terry Robinson was outside the ground with a collection bucket. John Sheridan made only his second start of the season for Athletic, a welcome boost given the growing injury list at Boundary Park. But the veteran was pushed out to the right as Danny Boshell — possibly his long-term replacement — was given preference in the centre.

Not being at the heart of things meant Sheridan couldn’t dictate play in his usual manner, while his lack of pace allowed Bury’s Paul Reid, who was booed throughout by his former supporters, to dominate his side of the pitch. Athletic looked unbalanced, with almost everything going down the left. Yet, perversely, that might have helped their cause. Winger David Eyres had another impressive game, using all his experience to be the team’s best outlet, while Tony Carss was arguably the man of the match. The recent signing was everywhere, ratting around midfield and making challenge after successful challenge. Carss also used the ball sensibly and well to show, once again, why he has made such a big difference to Athletic’s cause. Indeed, midfield was the main battleground as two lowly sides stood toe to toe in an untidy war of attrition. The result wasn’t great for either of them, but nor was it too disappointing. And, as the clock ticked down, the feeling grew that both would settle for a draw. It means Athletic have lost only two out of 11 in league and FA Cup, a useful run based on their vastly-improved defensive record. Recent performances have been no more than steady but, having proved they can play attractive football, they are now showing a willingness to fight it out on inevitably heavy pitches. It took Athletic only five minutes to create the first chance, with Carlo Corazzin robbing Sam Collins on the left before sending the ball into the middle.

It ricocheted into the path of Craig Dudley, who cracked a first-time volley against the inside of the post from eight yards. Two minutes later, the unlucky visitors were denied by the woodwork for a second time as Eyres tormented his marker on the corner of Bury’s area. Whether his last touch was a cross or a shot was unclear. But the certainty was that ‘keeper Paddy Kenny was beaten when the ball curled across him and bounced off the far post. Bury’s backline was all at sea against an Athletic side who had begun with aggression, confidence and style. The concern, though, was that they hadn’t made it tell. And Bury had already steadied the ship when, at the midway point of the half, Reid had a well-taken goal ruled out for offside. Athletic, however, found the perfect response after 27 minutes when they went in front through the improbable source of a towering header by Boshell. As so often, the chance was provided by Eyres, who delivered a free-kick from the left when Dudley was adjudged to be fouled by Steve Redmond — one of many questionable decisions from ref. John Brandwood.

Emerging from a posse of players was, of all people, Boshell. And the young midfielder placed his 12-yard header just inside Kenny’s post for the first league goal of his career. It was almost 1-1 after 36 minutes when Jason Jarrett pounced on Shaun Garnett’s error to shoot across the face of goal. Fortunately for Athletic, Carss’ interception flew straight into his goalkeeper’s arms. But that was the last action of a deteriorating half in which the visitors’ decent but unspectacular form was more than enough to give them an edge. Bury had to improve — and they did so by finding a superb equaliser 11 minutes after the break. Another dodgy decision was behind it, Boshell being penalised for a tackle on sub Adrian Littlejohn, one of three ex-Athletic players now on for Bury. The free-kick was headed back by Collins, and Paul Barnes crashed home a brilliant overhead kick from eight yards. After 65 minutes, a linesman joined in the fun by allowing Dudley to play on despite being yards offside. When Eyres eventually crossed, Chris Swailes almost bundled into his own net. And the hosts also had a couple of moments, though the danger to Athletic goalkeeper Gary Kelly was minimal.

What had been a quiet afternoon was now something closer to the traditional derby — fast pace and lively atmosphere, but very scrappy football. Any quality, in fact, disappeared without trace until another Eyres free-kick gave Garnett a half-chance at the far post. Three minutes from time, the referee again had people scratching their heads as he made the most controversial decision of the day. Dudley’s tenacity had seen him beat three defenders and go hurtling into the area.  He went down heavily when Collins slid in, but Mr Brandwood refused to award a penalty. In injury time, Bury should have grabbed a winner of their own when Chris Billy blazed over at the far post with the goal at his mercy. Redmond also wasted an opening before the game ended with a nasty twist as Dudley and Collins — who had been niggling each other since the penalty incident — tussled on the ground.

BURY: Kenny, Collins, Redmond, Swailes, Daws, Billy, Forrest, Reid, Jarrett (James 83), Smith (Littlejohn 45), Barnes (Preece 77). Subs (not used): Armstrong, Bullock.

ATHLETIC: Kelly, Rickers, McNiven, Garnett, Innes, Sheridan, Boshell, Carss, Eyres, Corazzin, Dudley. Subs (not used): Miskelly, Holt, Hotte, Salt, Allott.

MANAGER’S VIEW

ANDY RITCHIE was satisfied with the draw at Gigg Lane but felt frustrated that it hadn’t been turned into victory. The Athletic manager said his side had created better chances than Bury and, on the balance of play, should have made it four away wins out of five. “We didn’t play as well in the second half,” Ritchie admitted. “But we could have been three goals up by that stage because we had scored one and hit the post twice. “I knew Bury would come back into the game after half-time, but they hadn’t caused us any problems before then and we still played well in patches. “Andy Preece (Bury’s manager) said the referee gave them nothing, but we didn’t get anything from him either. “He lost it in the second half and we could have two penalties — I don’t know how we didn’t get one when Craig Dudley went through near the end. “I’m pleased for all the lads, though, because they have put in some sterling performances in the last couple of months. “They need as much rest as possible now because some of the pitches they are playing on are quagmires and that isn’t going to change. “With so many games coming up, we need people to be fit and back in the squad. “But the lads who got us the point have done well. It was a game where they had to battle and none of them shirked it.”

Ritchie explained that the decision to play John Sheridan on the right, rather than in his usual central slot, had been partly made by the player himself. He said: “We had to push him into the side a bit because of injuries — he isn’t 100-per-cent yet and probably would have been on the bench if other people had been available. “He was in a position he hadn’t played since he was at Sheffield Wednesday, but he was keen to do it because he thought Danny Boshell had done well on the inside at Peterborough last week. “I asked John if he would be okay there because he is 36, very experienced and he has a mind of his own. “We don’t dictate to the players or just shove them into positions without talking about it. “It was a similar thing with Mark Innes. I asked him to play at left-back and he has responded brilliantly. “Paul Rickers is another who has moved around for us and, if we had needed it, he could have fitted into the middle and done Danny Boshell’s job.”

Boshell’s goal was his second at senior level but his first in the Football League. And Ritchie added: “He got up well for the header and got good direction on it. “And I thought he did well overall. You have to keep youngsters hungry and we are doing everything we can to help him progress.”