Oldham Athletic’s first home victory since Valentine’s Day was certainly one to savour. And, typical of Athletic, they secured it against a Carlisle United team undefeated on their travels this season. While Athletic produced a much-improved performance, they still lived dangerously on occasions before finally securing three valuable Coca-Cola League One points. There were times, in a roller-coaster opening period, when it looked as though there might be further heartbreak as Carlisle threatened to leave Boundary Park with a win under their belts. But rather like Athletic in previous matches this season, Carlisle lacked a cutting edge in front of goal while, for once, Dave Penney’s men took their chances. There was a lot of positives to take from the match — two goals, a clean sheet and some solid individual performances. Underfire ’keeper Dean Brill answered his critics in the best possible way with two brilliant saves in the opening period. They were to prove vital in the outcome. On-loan left-back Alan Sheehan was the best player on the park, providing assists for the goals and oozing class. He should be playing at a higher level. Kelvin Lomax came in for the injured Andy Holdsworth at right-back, and he must be the unluckiest player at Boundary Park when it comes to those unable to command a regular place. Reuben Hazell and Sean Gregan, playing while unwell, were solid at the heart of the defence while in midfield Chris Taylor looked far more like his old self on the left after an injury-plagued start to the season. And up front, Pawel Abbott and Keigan Parker both found the net — it was Parker’s first competitive goal for the club — and the strikes will lift their confidence. To say that Athletic were down to the bare bones was an understatement as Nick Blackman, Alex Marrow and Holdsworth all joined the casualty list from last week. They were so short on numbers that Kieran Lee was the only senior player on the bench. The remainder, all six of them, were all teenagers. It looked as though it might be another of those days as Carlisle should have been two goals to the good inside six minutes. Striker Richard Offiong, on debut, hesitated when clean through, which enabled Hazell to make a last-ditch challenge. Carlisle were denied again when Scott Dobie eluded the offside trap, only for Brill, diving low to his right, to keep out the goal-bound goal. Athletic made the most of lady luck as they stole ahead in the 13th minute. Sheehan, joining the attack, fired over a low cross from the left which Abbott slotted home from six yards for his third goal of the season. Athletic might have been awarded a penalty on another day when Taylor’s ball from the left looked to hit a Carlisle hand, while Abbott almost added a second but his acrobatic effort looped narrowly wide. Sheehan almost opened his scoring account for Athletic — but at the wrong end — as his miscued headed clearance forced Brill into a brilliant reflex save. Dobie was unlucky again, bursting on to Offiong’s through ball only to see his effort strike an upright when he looked certain to score. Yet in first-half stoppage time Danny Whitaker almost doubled Athletic’s lead when his long-range drive was kept out by a fabulous fingertip save from Lenny Pidgeley. The major surprise was that the entertaining and open first period only produced one goal. Athletic sealed victory early in the second half. Taylor released Sheehan on an overlap on the left, and Parker scrambled home his far-post cross from virtually on the goalline. That goal effectively killed of Carlisle, who visibly wilted from that moment. Athletic closed out the match in a highly disciplined way, learning from the defeat at Bristol Rovers when they were done at the death. Taylor might have added a third goal late on. First he cut in from the left and forced Pidgeley to make a super stop low down at his near post and from the resulting corner, he flashed a header narrowly wide. This was Taylor of old, and hopefully Athletic can look forward to more of the same from the tricky forward in the coming months. Game action from link below: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8248465.stm
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