ATHLETIC will go for goal at Huddersfield tonight when they bid to cause an upset in the Worthington Cup first round. The Boundary Park side hold a slender 1-0 lead after the first leg, but manager Andy Ritchie insisted he had no plans to stage a rearguard action. Ritchie said: “I will remind the lads that one goal for us means Huddersfield have to score three. “It would turn the odds in our favour and, if we play like we did in the first leg, we are capable of doing it. “It won’t be all-out attack but, at the same time, we aren’t good enough to go there and try to defend a 1-0 lead.“Carlo Corazzin is back and Mark Allott has been doing quite well up front, although Saturday was his worst game of the season — as it was for just about everyone.”

Athletic will try to get the weekend defeat by Notts County out of their system and, now that Corazzin is back from international duty, their only absentees are John Sheridan (knee) and Ryan Sugden (Achilles). Huddersfield have made a disappointing start to the first-division season, losing both their games at the McAlpine Stadium. Corazzin is set to replace Matthew Tipton in Athletic’s starting line-up, while Ritchie could be tempted into more changes after Saturday’s dismal display. Mark Hotte is pushing for a recall in defence — possibly at the expense of Paul Jones — and Danny Boshell comes into contention in midfield.

ATHLETIC (from): Kelly, Jones, Garnett, McNiven, Adams, Holt, Duxbury, Rickers, Innes, Allott, Corazzin, Tipton, Whitehall, Boshell, Hotte, Dudley, Miskelly. Steve Bruce’s Huddersfield are beset by injury problems and have called former Athletic winger David Beresford into their squad.

Striker Clyde Wijnhard is out after a car crash, but former Ajax midfielder Dean Gorre could return.

HUDDERSFIELD (from): Vaesen, Heary, Vincent, Dyson, Lucketti, Beech, Irons, Gorre, Smith, Facey, Hay, Thornley, Baldry, Margetson, Schofield, Beresford, Armstrong.

AFTER winning a place in every neutral’s heart as the 1990 runners-up, Athletic have stumbled from one disappointment to another in the League Cup. They have been dumped out in the first round for the last three seasons, but tonight’s tie at Huddersfield is a chance to claim a notable scalp. Now under the Worthington banner, the competition is a welcome distraction for Athletic after their bitter experiences in the league. They hold a 1-0 lead going into the second leg and, having wounded the first division side at Boundary Park, are aiming to finish them off at the impressive McAlpine Stadium. Midfield could be the most vital area, as it was in the first leg when Carlo Corazzin’s strike was, on the surface, the only difference between the sides. But it went deeper than that and Huddersfield ended the night grateful to goalkeeper Nico Vaesen, whose excellent form crucially kept the margin down to a single goal. The game was also Danny Boshell’s first start of the season. And the youngster seized on his chance by growing into the contest and providing another glimpse of his undoubted talent.

Paul Rickers and Lee Duxbury — the men who do the legwork so that others can take plaudits for the passing — also stood out as Athletic grabbed the initiative and refused to let go. Since that night, however, the midfield has been below-par, inevitably leading to a significant drop in form. Boshell was left out on Saturday and manager Andy Ritchie hopes the 19-year-old will gain more physical presence as he gets used to the demands of first-team football. In John Sheridan’s absence, it seems Boshell is in direct competition with Mark Innes — his predecessor as the bright new hope of Athletic’s midfield. Innes, despite being on the transfer list, still plays a key part in Ritchie’s plans and was dropped from only two squads in the whole of last season. The Scot remains available to anyone who will pay a fairly modest fee for his services, not that Athletic have been inundated with offers. Which is somewhat surprising. Innes may not be the finished article, but there is enough raw material for someone to take a punt on potential and add a talented, confident 21-year-old to their squad. Huddersfield’s plans have been hit by a serious injury to Clyde Wijnhard, their chief dangerman and a powerful leader of the line.

Wijnhard’s Mercedes came off the A1 in North Yorkshire on Sunday night and, after crawling from the blazing wreckage, he had a four-hour operation to pin his broken arm. The Dutchman, who cost £750,000 from Leeds, could even be out for the season. But Worthington Cup football will be the last thing on his mind tonight. Manager Steve Bruce said: “Whenever something like this happens, you are just relieved the person has come out alive and it sounds like Clyde has been very, very fortunate. “We will know more when we have had chance to visit him and get the full story, but the reality is that Clyde has been very badly hurt and I expect him to be out long-term.”

Huddersfield Examiner

"Not only has his right arm been smashed to bits - the doctors tell me he could easily have lost his arm because it was a serious double compound fracture - but he has been badly knocked about and shaken up. "It was only Clyde's own physical strength which got him out of the vehicle before it went up - his mate who was driving was apparently thrown through the windscreen and is reasonably okay - and it was Clyde who managed to telephone the police before he collapsed with the pain. "It was obviously an horrific, frightening accident and we just have to be grateful that Clyde has come through it alive. "He is still very down and very contemplative, in shock really, but I'm sure a win tonight would help a lot to start cheering him up at the beginning of what will be a long recovery process."

While fans have already started sending 'get well' messages for Wijnhard, his Dutch team-mate Dean Gorré looks like returning tonight after coming through a practice run-out against Manchester City yesterday. The midfield favourite - who will be 30 on Sunday - is overcoming his hamstring injury and may even start, although a more likely slot against Andy Ritchie's side is on the bench. Chris Hay could be drafted in alongside strikers Delroy Facey and Martin Smith, while Town look likely to be without Rob Edwards, who hurt a knee in training yesterday. Young striker Danny Schofield may also be called up after scoring both goals in yesterday's 2-1 practice win. "The important thing is to get through to the next round and it's vital our attitude is spot on," added Bruce. "We've had some indifferent performances and I want us back on form tonight."

Teamtalk Huddersfield Town

Oldham cruised past Huddersfield Town into the 2nd round of the Worthington Cup tonight with a fully deserved 3-0 aggregate win. With the score at 1-0 to the Latics from the 1st leg at Boundary Park, the Terriers crumbled against their Second Division opposition to continue their woeful home form. Oldham were everything that Huddersfield weren't, skilful, determined and showing a true will to win they seemingly didn't need to break their stride as they dominated the opening forty five minutes, Allott missing an early goal by inches when one-on-one with Vaesen. Paul Rickers grabbed the first just five minutes before the break when Neil Adams rounded Vincent and crossed for Rickers to head home powerfully from six yards.

Huddersfield were restricted to long-range efforts from Smith and Thornley, and despite making three changes in the second period, Oldham continued to dominate and notched a second. It was no surprise when Rickers fired in again with a strong right footed effort from the edge of the area, and the Latics could have had more before the whistle ended Huddersfield's misery. Oldham ended the game as they had started, with a wave of attack, and Neil Adams saw his clever shot come back off of the bar and to safety before the referee finally ended affairs. Steve Bruce has plenty to think about as he prepares his side for a First Division date with Bolton at the weekend, but for Oldham the sky is the limit, as they cruise to the 2nd round where they will be hoping for a money spinning tie with one of the Premiership clubs to be unleashed in the next stages of the competition.

Huddersfield 0-2 Oldham (agg: 0-3)

Oldham midfielder Paul Rickers scored twice to condemn Huddersfield to an early Worthington Cup exit. He struck either side of half-time to stun the First Division side, who were booed off the pitch at the end of the game by their own supporters. The visitors showed no signs of the gap between both clubs by producing a classy display. Rickers caused panic as early as the fifth minute when he stepped up to the edge of the area to send a low drive into Nico Vaesen's arms.

Then Mark Allott burst into the area from Shaun Garnett's header, following Vaesen's poor clearance, to drive the ball wide of the Belgian keeper's right hand post. In between, Dean Gorre showed his quality when he turned Rickers in his own half to find Ben Thornley wide on the left with a 40-yard pass. But the former Manchester United winger wasted a good opportunity from 18 yards by ballooning the ball over Gary Kelly's upright. Huddersfield continued to press for an opener with Smith firing over the bar. Rickers drew first blood when he raced unmarked into Vaesen's box to meet Neil Adams' centre from the right and plant the ball into the keeper's left corner.

Oldham refused to make up the numbers and Rickers again threatened when he shook off Jon Dyson in the area to test Vaesen from a tight angle on the right. Vaesen saved with his legs on 64 minutes to deny Allott, but the keeper was beaten for a second time just a minute later. Adams' free kick was floated in from the right and when Corazzin's shot was blocked, the loose ball fell to Rickers who lashed it into the net.

This is Scunthorpe

IRON LOOK TO SPRING UPSET

Scunthorpe United will be without central defender Stuart Thom for tonight's Worthington Cup first round, second leg tie against Wigan Athletic. The 23-year-old player has agreed a two year deal with the Iron to turn his loan spell from Oldham into a permanent move to Glanford Park. But a knee injury picked up against Blackpool on Saturday leaves him sidelined tonight. He tried to train yesterday, but a slight swelling on his knee proved too painful. Thom, who will join the Iron for a nominal fee once he passes a medical, was unable to play in the first leg at the JJB Stadium where Scunthorpe went down 1-0 after having centre back Rob Dewhurst sent off in the 27th minute. Even without the influential Thom, United will be confident they can haul back that slender deficit in tonight's second leg. Progress to the second round of the competition — with the chance to earn some big money — could be a real bonus for manager Brian Laws as he seeks to strengthen his injury-hit squad.

Official Latics Web Site

OFFER MADE

The club have made an offer of a 2-year contract to Irish defender Barry Prenderville and now await the player's decision. Prenderville was released by Coventry City last season during which time he spent a loan period at Hibernian in Scotland. With the impending moves of Paul Beavers and Stuart Thom Manager Andy Ritchie is keen to strengthen his First Team squad and if he is not successful in signing Prenderville he may switch his attentions to a mid-field player.

BEAVERS MOVE IMMINENT

It was expected that Paul Beavers' move to Darlington will be completed on Tuesday morning. The striker who joined Latics from Sunderland at the start of last season has failed to claim a regular spot in Latics First Team and with the signing of Carlo Corazzin finds himself further down the pecking order. Beavers will join the Quakers on a free transfer.

STOP PRESS:

Beaver's move was completed at 10.30 on Tuesday 5th September.

Contributions and letters should be sent to Gary Davies by e-mail at [email protected].or at Boundary Bullet-zine,41 Verney Road,Royton,Oldham,United Kingdom.OL2 6AZBoundary Bullet-zine Archive can be found at http://www.geocities.com/laticsgary.geo.The views expressed on this e-zine are not the views of Oldham Athletic F.C. nor necessarily the views of the Editor.This e-zine is a unofficial publication NOT sanctioned by Oldham Athletic Football Club.The editor will not publish any letters containing bad language.This e-zine is written using Microsoft Outlook Express and is best viewed with the HTML (rich) text option enabled.

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