30th August 2000
30th August 2000 SCOTT McNIVEN is on standby for Athletic as they bid for a return to winning ways at Colchester tonight. The transfer-listed defender is set to replace Mark Hotte, who is still troubled by the ankle injury he suffered on Saturday. McNiven has yet to start a game this season after breaking his cheekbone when training with an amateur team in Blackpool. He missed most of Athletic’s pre-season build-up but has made two substitute appearances, including for 50 minutes against Peterborough at the weekend when Hotte was forced out of action. Hotte hasn’t missed a single game through injury since breaking into Athletic’s first team almost 12 months ago. His only absences have been due to suspension, but the run is likely to end tonight as his ankle remains bruised and very sore. Athletic, who are aiming to bounce back from a surprise 4-1 defeat, call upon Craig Dudley and centre-back Ben Futcher as cover.
Dudley is out of favour as manager Andy Ritchie believes he needs to improve his fitness. But the 20-year-old’s ability to play at wing-back could see him recalled. Despite the result on Saturday, Ritchie is unlikely to make wholesale changes to his side. Third-choice goalkeeper Jamie Campbell makes his first appearance in a senior squad as David Miskelly is away with Northern Ireland under-21s.
Athletic (from): Kelly, Jones, Garnett, Hotte, Adams, Holt, Duxbury, Rickers, Boshell, Allott, Corazzin, McNiven, Innes, Whitehall, Futcher, Dudley, Tait, Campbell.
Colchester have lost both their home games so far —one in the league and one in the Worthington Cup — without registering a goal. They have a slight doubt over the experienced Mick Stockwell, who suffered a dead leg in their weekend victory at Swansea.
Colchester
(from): Brown, Dunne, Keith, White, Skelton, Clark, McGavin, Stockwell,
Dozzell, Duguid, Lua Lua, Gregory, Lock, Walker, G Johnson, Tanner.
SUPERSTAR
mascot Chaddy Owl was back in the headlines after being “sent off” during
the game with Peterborough on Saturday. Chaddy
got his marching orders from the touchline as a linesman was getting in
a flap — seeing his replica kit and getting confused between the giant
bird and Athletic’s players. After a
chat with a senior steward, a chastened Chaddy stayed well out of view,
adding another chapter to his colourful career. His
human alias, Kevin Williams, said: “Fair enough, I did have a replica shirt
on — but I also have a big furry head.”
TEENAGE
striker Jon Froggatt is determined to make the most of his second chance
with Athletic. Towards the end of last
season, Froggatt was told he wouldn’t be offered a professional contract
at the end of his second year as a trainee. But
he won a reprieve after suddenly hitting the best form of his career and
has begun the new campaign in spectacular style. Froggatt
still qualifies for Athletic’s under-19 side, who play in the Football
League Youth Alliance. They opened the
season with a 5-1 victory over Chester — and Froggatt claimed all the goals. Coaches
David Cross and Tony Philliskirk, who are pleased with Froggatt’s response
to rejection, are likely to rely heavily on him this year as the team will
be very inexperienced. Oldham-born Ben
Smith is the only other first-year professional, while players as young
as 16 could well be used on a regular basis.
BARRY
FRY reckons Athletic could be dark horses for promotion in the second division. The
Peterborough United manager, speaking before his side won 4-1 at Boundary
Park on Saturday, said they were great value when 40-1 at the start of
the season. The price has now dropped to around 25-1. While
many of the pundits have tipped Athletic for relegation, Fry says they
should be looking at the opposite end of the table. “I
have fancied Oldham from the start and told my mates they were definitely
worth backing at 40-1,” he explained. Fry,
whose opinion may now have changed slightly, added: “Andy Ritchie has a
nice little side and some good young players. I think they could be ones
to watch.”
All eyes were
on Colchester United front-runner Lomana Lua Lua against Oldham, including
those of Newcastle United manager Bobby Robson. Lua Lua has been hitting
the headlines with a number of excellent displays and some sensational
goals for the Essex club over the last few months. Newcastle are reported
to be leading the chase for this gifted Zaire-born front-runner but this
was the first time that former England boss Robson had made an appearance
to watch Lua Lua himself in action. But it was a frustrating night for
18-year-old Lua Lua as his Colchester side let two points slip away against
visiting Oldham. The hosts had taken the lead in the 37th minute through
a scrambled effort from Karl Duguid, who bundled home from a yard out for
United's first home goal of the campaign. Joe Dunne created the chance
with a driven cross from the right. Mick Stockwell headed on and keeper
Gary Kelly needed to make a smart block from an interception by his own
defender Scott McNiven. Kelly managed to block the effort but Duguid reacted
first to force the ball over the line from point-blank range.
But Oldham were
handed a life-line in the 52nd minute following a bad error from Colchester
right wing-back Dunne. Irishman Dunne erred with a wayward backpass and
suddenly Andy Holt had a clear route to goal. Wing-back Holt who had scored
the winner at Colchester last season, obliged again when crashing home
the equaliser from 10 yards out. This momentarily rocked the Essex side
but they came back strongly and were twice denied by the woodwork in a
rousing last 20 minutes. Lua Lua had been well closed down by Oldham defenders
in the first half, especially his marker Shaun Garnett, but he came into
his own as the visitors began to tire. A splendid run from Lua Lua opened
up the Latics' defence in the 72nd minute and his thunderbolt of a shot
beat keeper Kelly all ends up, only for the ball to crash off the top of
the far post. United were left cursing their luck again late on when Aaron
Skelton struck a post with a low drive from the edge of the box.
Oldham had chances
of their own and keeper Simon Brown was busy in the second half dealing
with goalbound shots from Mark Allott and Carlo Corazzin. But the visitors
were content to sit back during the final few minutes to escape with a
hard-earned draw. Colchester manager Steve Whitton was quick to stress
that he wanted star man Lua Lua to stay at the club. Whitton said: "Lomana
is not for sale. I don't want him to leave because he is such a special
player. There is no one else like him around."
Bristol Rovers
may have lost sharpshooters Jason Roberts and Jamie Cureton - but they
still managed to hit Brentford for six on Monday. Roberts and Cureton both
scored 22 league goals for the Pirates last term, but the former player
has since joined West Brom for £2million while Cureton recently moved
to Second Division rivals Reading for £250,000. But that did not
appear to inhibit the west country club as they shared the goals around
at Griffin Park. Latvian midfielder Vitalijs Astafjevs opened the scoring
after just five minutes and striker Nathan Ellington and midfielder Lewis
Hogg both scored twice before defender Scott Jones, on loan from Barnsley,
hit the sixth. Paul Evans, from the penalty spot, and Andy Scott were on
the mark for the well-beaten Bees.
Rovers climb
into mid-table but there was more misery for the other Bristol club after
Danny Wilson's Bristol City went down 1-0 at home to Rotherham thanks to
Leo Fortune-West's strike midway through the second half. Surprise package
Bury are up to second place after Darren Bullock scored the only goal of
the game against Northampton in the 72nd minute at Gigg Lane.
Wycombe are third
despite Luton hitting back for a 1-1 draw at Adams Park. Steve Brown had
put the home side in control only for Tresor Kandol to head the equaliser
with nine minutes remaining.
Peterborough
slipped from second to fifth following the 2-0 home defeat by Swansea.
A Matthew Bound penalty and Jason Price helped the visitors to all three
points at London Road.
Cambridge are
up to sixth after Zema Abbey's strike saw them win 1-0 at Notts County,
while Swindon's poor start to life under Colin Todd continued with a 3-0
defeat at Port Vale.
Two goals from
Tony Naylor sandwiched another from Alex Smith at Vale Park.
Walsall 3 Oxford
United 2
Second Division
leaders Walsall set up a new club record by winning their opening four
League games after a terrific battle with bottom-of-the-table Oxford at
Bescot Stadium on Tuesday night. Twice they had to come from behind to
beat Oxford who had not scored or picked up a point in their first three
matches. Joe Beauchamp, recalled after injury, put United in front after
three minutes, Paul Hall equalised 11 minutes later only for Beauchamp
to restore the lead for the visitors in 33 minutes. Walsall piled on tremendous
pressure in the second half, Portuguese striker Jorge Leitao headed them
level in the 65th minute and substitute Brett Angell headed a dramatic
winner from a corner eight minutes from time of an absolute cracker.
Reading 3 Stoke
3
An injury time
goal from new boy Jamie Cureton earned Reading a point in a six goal thriller
against Stoke. Cureton, signed from Bristol Rovers for £250,000,
was making his home debut and brought the Reading fans to their feet with
a close range header deep into the seven minutes of injury time added on
by Referee Paul Taylor. A defensive mistake had let Stoke take an early
lead through Barry Hunter's own goal after 17 minutes and five minutes
later Stefan Thordarson added the second. Reading's fight back began when
Cureton hit an upright and then a minute before the break Martin Butler
scored his second goal of the season for the Royals. Stoke looked to have
made the game safe when Graham Fenton added a third 15 minutes from time
but still Reading would not give in. Seven minutes from time Cureton was
sent tumbling in the penalty area and skipper Darren Caskey slotted home
the penalty. Then came Cureton's dramatic equaliser.
Colchester 1
Oldham 1
Colchester United
and Oldham Athletic had to settled for a point apiece from a one all draw
in an entertaining match at Layer Road watched by 3,675 spectators. The
home side enjoyed the better of the first half and took a deserved lead
on 37 minutes when Karl Duguid bundled the ball in at the back post following
a twice-deflected Joe Dunne cross. Dunne turned villain in the second half
when his poor clearance presented Andrew Holt with a simple equaliser on
52 minutes. Oldham threatened to take over with Simon Brown in the home
goal making three crucial saves, but Colchester's Lomana Tresor Lua Lua
exploded into life with three pulsating goal efforts in a four minute spell,
but both he and Aaron Skelton were denied by the woodwork as honours finished
even.
Sporting
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