31st August 2000
31st August 2000 STRIKER Carlo Corazzin jetted off to the Caribbean today and will miss Athletic’s weekend game with Notts County. The Canadian international is due to play a World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago, arriving back in England on Monday morning. It is the first time Corazzin (28) has missed a match since joining Athletic, who agreed to let him represent his country whenever necessary. They expect him to be absent for a maximum of three games this season and poor results mean Canada will probably go out of their CONCACAF region qualifying group at the first stage.
Manager Andy Ritchie said: ``It’s part and parcel of Carlo being here. We’ll be okay because there are people we can bring in on Saturday. ``But the situation isn’t totally cut and dried because of the way Canada are doing. I wish him well but, from our point of view, I can’t say I wish Canada well!’’ Corazzin, who had stitches in a head wound during last night’s draw at Colchester, stayed in the south after the game. He headed for Trinidad this morning and expects to play at Huddersfield next Tuesday in the Worthington Cup first round, second leg. Corazzin admitted: ``It will be nice to get back into a routine and be with my club for a couple of months at a time. I’ve sat down with the gaffer and if there comes a time when we (Canada) can’t qualify but I’m going to miss games, we’ll have another look at the situation.’’
Mark
Hotte could also miss Notts County’s visit because of his ankle injury,
while John Sheridan needs another two weeks to get over minor knee surgery.
Neil Adams didn’t make the trip to Colchester after failing a fitness test
on a groin strain, but he is hopeful of a quick recovery. Ritchie
was satisfied with last night’s 1-1 draw, saying: ``It wasn’t the best
of performances, but we were gritty. ``We had a couple of changes forced
on us, but that’s what squads are for and those lads are now playing for
their places.’’
Ritchie’s
men have stomach for battle ATHLETIC
were back in the mood for a battle as they extended their 30-year unbeaten
run in the garrison town of Colchester. Layer
Road probably hasn’t changed much since 1970 but, after Andrew Holt’s second-half
equaliser, it took Athletic only three days to transform themselves from
Saturday’s submissive victims into last night’s hard-nosed fighters. Goalkeeper
Gary Kelly earned his stripes with a commanding display, Shaun Garnett
barked out orders in defence and Holt was the crack trooper who earned
the point. Life in Colchester certainly
has its ups and downs for wing-back Holt. This is the second successive
season he has scored there, while his first visit ended as villain rather
than hero with the only red card of his career. Athletic
were again short of their peak, especially in an insipid first half, and
Colchester hit the post twice in the closing 18 minutes. The
U’s thought they were unfortunate not to take all the points. But, after
a committed performance and a handful of decent chances, Athletic have
the right to argue otherwise.
Until
they scored, the visitors couldn’t get a grip on midfield, where Colchester,
busily prompted by the veteran Mick Stockwell, played around them all too
easily. There was no lack of effort —
it’s one of Athletic’s qualities that they never stop trying — but endeavour
didn’t equate to results. Although Danny
Boshell tried to take things by the scruff of the neck, Athletic were unable
to keep the ball long enough for well-worked moves to materialise. They
are missing John Sheridan. And it’s no coincidence that the three league
games the playmaker has missed have brought a return of only one point. Until
they had support, the front two of Mark Allott and Carlo Corazzin again
had to work in less-than-splendid isolation. Yet
Athletic were a different proposition at 1-1, suddenly finding men to spare
in attack and linking up better in all areas of the field. There
were times early on when Colchester’s starlet, Lomano Tresor Lua Lua, seemed
to be wearing dancing shoes while his markers laboured in diving boots. Athletic
— especially in the shape of Garnett — got to grips with him with a take-no-prisoners
policy which saw the youngster fade and, correspondingly, the visitors
play more securely from the back. Athletic
made two changes after the defensive nightmare of Peterborough, both of
them in defence but both of them enforced.
Mark
Hotte and Neil Adams missed out, bringing recalls for Scott McNiven at
centre-half and Craig Dudley at wing-back. Colchester
were un-changed, but there was a buzz of excitement around the ground to
meet Newcastle manager Bobby Robson. Newcastle
have already had one bid refused for 19-year-old Lua Lua and, though his
mesmeric bursts of skill were intermittent, the Premiership club could
well return with another. Lua Lua caused
the first headache after only 50 seconds when he ghosted in from deep to
head a cross straight into Kelly’s grateful arms. The
Essex side also threatened through a raking drive from Aaron Skelton and
another long-range effort from the dangerous defender which Kelly saved
low to his left. Other than a weak free-kick
from Corazzin, it was all Colchester as they snapped into tackles and moved
the ball around quickly. But Athletic
managed to keep them at bay as the match became a scrappy affair fought
out in midfield. Athletic also began
to assert themselves more, though McNiven was a shade lucky to escape a
31st-minute red card when he handled the ball shortly after being booked. McNiven’s
first offence was a pull on Lua Lua’s shirt, while Lee Duxbury was also
booked for clattering the youngster as Athletic made their presence felt. The
policy was clear — if Lua Lua wanted to pass a defender, he would have
to give him a very wide berth. But Colchester’s
dominance gained its reward after 37 minutes, despite a stunning reflex
stop from Kelly.
Joe
Dunne’s right-wing cross was flicked on and Kelly somehow saved an own
goal off McNiven’s last touch, only for Karl Duguid to bundle in Colchester’s
first home goal of the season. The lead
lasted until the 52nd minute when Athletic — previously with only one shot
on target — snatched an equaliser which was not just a surprise present
but came gift-wrapped in ribbons. Dunne’s
attempted back-pass fell hopelessly short and Holt darted on to the loose
ball, kept his nerve and slotted comfortably past Simon Brown from eight
yards. Athletic had a golden chance
to grab their second on the hour when Allott raced on to Corazzin’s pass,
only for his angled shot to be well held by Brown. They
also came close in the 70th minute when Dudley, who was now playing with
much more freedom, brought a reaction save from the ’keeper at his near
post. Lua Lua, having been kept quiet
for most of the game, suddenly sprang to life with an incisive dash across
the edge of the box and a superb curling drive from 20 yards. It
was a flash of inspiration which probably deserved a goal. Instead, the
shot thudded back off the top off Kelly’s left-hand post.
Within
three minutes, Lua Lua had conjured two more instinctive efforts which
came desperately close for the hosts. Yet
Athletic responded through Corazzin, whose 25-yard daisy-cutter brought
a stretching save from Brown. Manager
Andy Ritchie, who recently criticised Dudley for his lack of stamina, took
the brave move of bringing on Matthew Tipton at wing-back after 82 minutes. Tipton
was cautioned 30 seconds later for kicking the ball away, becoming the
fourth Athletic name in Keith Hill’s notebook. Ritchie’s
men had another escape when Skelton’s skimming effort was tipped on to
the post two minutes from time. Kelly
and the woodwork were a handy combination all night, but Athletic’s resilience
was equally important as they avoided the agony of a third successive defeat.
The U's started brightly with Lua Lua getting a few vital yards on his marker, however, his header appeared to hit his shoulder and bounced away to safety. Steve McGavin came to the U's rescue minutes later when, following a long throw with Corazzin controlled and flicked onto Lee Duxbury. Duxbury's effort was certainly goalbound, but the diving McGavin got his body in front of the ball - you could see from his reaction that it stung! Then, with my yellow betting slip in my hand, the money started rolling in front of my eyes like it does in the Tom & Jerry cartoons. Following good work down the right, McGavin laid the ball back to the advancing Skelton who unleashed a thunderbolt of a right-footed effort. On the angle I was situated it was heading for the bottom corner, but unfortunately for me and the U's, a deflection took it just wide.
The Latic's forays were few and far between although Paul Rickers did fire a shot over. Then two free kicks. The diving Kelly saved Skelton's long-range effort, while Carlo Corrazzin found Simon Brown's position to be perfect when he tried an effort from 25 yards. Then began the Lomana show. His brilliance set up Micky Stockwell for a shot but nothing came of it. Minutes later and finally the U's opened the scoring, though with a hint of controversy. Joe Dunne crossed the ball and McGavin appeared to get his head to it but Kelly saved. Stockwell then tried again but a defender blocked his header before it fell kindly to Duguid who headed home from a couple of yards. My spies down at the Layer Road end tell me though, that there was a suspicion of handball against Duguid. Thankfully, the ref. didn't give it! The U's tail was up now and Doogie was inches from adding another. Joe Dunne's shot was going well wide of the target but appeared to go through the legs of the unsighted Duguid. Then, long ball from McGavin found Dozzell's run into the penalty box. Dozzell was in acres of space, but he somehow failed to even control the ball. Had he done so, a goal would surely have resulted.
The second half started with the U's passing that ball around like they were never going to give it away. Linking up between Keith, McGavin, Lua Lua, Dozzell, Stockwell, Clarke, Skelton, and White was superb. In one move I imagine that the U's passed the ball at twenty times without a Oldham looking like getting a touch, but it was from such a passing move that the U's conceded. The ball was played onto Dunne who tried to lay it back to White. Dunne's touch was woeful and Holt sneaked in past White and beat Brown at the far post
Now, Oldham were starting to look dangerous. Quite clearly the goal had knocked the stuffing out of the U's, and they started to look like they may concede another. However Brown was in commanding mood, saving from Allott and the number 17, (whose not listed on the program!).
The second half had been quite for the U's star man but my, didn't he make up for it with two sparkling efforts in ten minutes. First, McGavin feed him down the left. He cut inside the centre-half Garnett and fired in an effort that had Kelly in the Oldham beaten all ends up, only for it to smack against the woodwork and rebound to safety. Then after Gavin Johnson, on the injured Joe Keith and floated the ball over his left shoulder he volleyed the ball on the first bounce and it whizzed inches over the bar. In-between Brown had to save from Canadian International Carlo Corazzin as the Latic's tried desperately to stop the flow of football towards their goal. As the minutes ticked away the U's hit the post again following a corner. It was either Tony Lock or Mick Stockwell who latched onto the loose ball but Kelly again dived to his right and managed to tip the ball onto the post and away to safety. And that was it. The U's will consider this two points dropped against an Oldham side that only really looked dangerous from set plays. Bad luck, schoolboy errors, or poor finishing - whatever. On another night the U's may have beaten Oldham by four or five. Tonight though, just the one wasn't enough.