The same old story seems to be evolving as Athletic fell 3-1 to Orient at Boundary Park yesterday after taking a 1-0 lead. It was crucial that they won the game yesterday! It was the first home game of the season and thus sets the standard for the coming campaign. After a creditable first match draw away at Colchester a home draw would have left the club somewhere in mid table.
A win would have put them in the top half of the table but, more crucially, would have generated interest among the fans and with the feel-good factor would create an on-going upsurge in attendances. However, the defeat has done nothing but make the fans feel down-hearted. Some have already stated that they will be picking their games rather than travelling to every game and some have even begun to doubt the ability of the manager. It's a dreadful result which makes it even more crucial to get three points against Port Vale on Tuesday night, not an easy task.
Manager Lee Johnson was obviously disappointed and he stated, “We looked dangerous in the first half but we came out after half time and were dopey, there were individual errors and the first ten minutes of the second half killed us. I thought we were very good in the first half. We looked solid defensively, compact and we put pressure on the ball. It's so frustrating because there were some good parts in the first half but for some reason, we haven't been mentally strong enough to prove it over 90 minutes.”
“Forte terrorised their defenders in the first half and that should have pegged them back and gained us the midfield territory. I can understand why people have gone home frustrated because I'm also frustrated. It will be a tough game because our boys have got to go home, look at themselves in the mirror and get themselves rallied. We've got to make sure to go into the game, keep a clean sheet and come out on top.”