D:ream once sang things can only get better. If they do, the Latics will be top at Christmas and champions by February. Talk like that though will see the men in white coats come for me sooner rather than later. We must keep our feet firmly on the ground. After this performance though, that isn't so easy to do. It wasn't champagne sparkling stuff, but the Latics gave a hard fought, gritty, determined display frustrating their visitors at every opportunity and attacking in a manor in which Bristol City were never allowed to settle. And it was that factor which won the game, as it eventually saw them go down to ten men and the hosts take hold and dominate.
Usually, if you look at the events in paper, you would say that the Latics were fortunate to win as on 59, Tommy Doherty was sent off and then 11 minutes later, we took the lead because of it. That wasn't so. In truth, David Eyres gave the Robins defender a torrid time and forced the player into making the errors he did. That is the measure of a side. One that exploits weaknesses in skill. A better defender one have resisted the temptation of a pull or a late lunge, but Eyres was just too good and thus the advantage swung our way during a 2nd half that they never looked like losing.
The first half had been a different tale though. The Latics had their chances, but admittedly, City had enough of their own and arguably better ones. To go in level at half time was a credit to both defences after a fast paced, end-to-end display in which both keepers had to be on top of their game. Indeed, just as the man up against Eyres wasn't up to the challenge, Bristol City's other flank made Josh Low look poor and was resolute every time we attempted to pursue that avenue.
Upfront though the combination of Corazzin and Wijnhard yet again worked a treat and this surely has to leave Dowie thinking over his options. Although many are convinced that Corazzin isn't good enough, admittedly as a goalscorer he isn't, the Canadian has made the sort of impact which Wijnhard thrives off. Whereas Killen and Wijnhard would create space for each other, the problem seemed to be that neither was linking up as well with the supply line. It's a bit like when Owen and Fowler used to play together at Liverpool. They're too similar and therefore the combination seems a bit flat. Whereas Wijnhard probes the back like, looking for the runs, Corazzin stays infront, collects the ball, lays it off in behind for a winger to pick out Wijnhard or pass back to Eyre or another pushing midfielder. He's the target man which Wijnhard's game appears to prefer.
These are not comments of criticism about Killen though. Currently, having him injured isn't a bad problem, but the nice headache (if every there is a nice headache) begins when he is fit. Can Killen and Wiggy look as good upfront together? Is it the fact that Appleby was off form whilst Killen was fit to play and thus the former City player often ventured into midfield too often to make as a good an impact? Is this the reason for Killen and Wijnhard not linking up as well as what Carlo and Clyde have? Who knows, but it is an interesting thought to think over after the strikers efforts in this one.
The opening to the game was quite lively with half chances in the way of a Darren Sheridan long ranger and then Wijnhard scuffing a loose ball wide of the post. However, the Latics weren't having it all their own way as the Robins looked useful too. Utilising their wingers, Hill and Hall had to be resolute to their crosses and rarely were they found to be second best in the aerial challenge that was served up to them.A first real glimpse of goal came 11 minutes in. The hosts broke forward from midfield, Eyres delivered a superb diagonal cross behind the back line in which Wijhnard managed to get goalside of his defender and glance a header onto. The ball skimmed narrowly wide of the goal.
Four minutes later, the visitors registered their first effort of the game. Facing a free-kick 20 yards out, Peacock curled his effort over the wall but Pogliacomi had covered it well and palmed away at full stretch.
The half chances continued to come during a lively opening from both sides. It was evident that the game was too be played from the back, on the break with both teams hitting brick walls in the oppositions defence. Only 2 more half chances were registered in the first half hour, both of them by the Latics. On 24, John Eyre's nifty feet allowed him to send a daisycutter at goal. Phillips in net got down to smother the ball, but it almost squirmed under and thus needed his knees to stop the ball from travelling straight under him. Then Darren Sheridan slipped Wijhnard in on another one of his diagonal runs. Holding off his marker, Wiggy hit his effort for the far corner but this time Phillips collected with a bit more composure.
With 15 minutes of the half left, the game came to life with a number of chances. The Latics could have been infront when after a corner was cleared back out to Eyres on the left wing, he powered an angled drive inside the post. The angle looked too acute, but somehow the effort beat it and needed Phillips to react superbly to fist the ball against the post and out for another corner. That came to nothing. Then within seconds, Bristol City almost took the lead.
On 33, Lee Peacock stunned everyone when with his back to goal, he turned and shot for the near top corner. Pogliacomi had to be on hand to superbly palm away. From the resultant corner, the Latics cleared, but a bad touch from Low allowed City to pump in a deadly 6-yard ball from the wing. Peacock and Pogi dived in together to cut the ball out but it was the City man who got to it first. Fortunately, the Aussie had spread himself enough to block the ball and see it cleared to safety.
After that scare, Eyres tested Phillips with a 25 yard free-kick, but although it looked like a decent one handed stop the effort was relatively central and quite routine for the keeper. That effort, five minutes before half-time, was the last piece of goalmouth action before the break.
As in the first period of the game, the tempo seemed quite lively as the second half opened but again it lacked in a number of clear cut chances. Still, the football was played with purpose with both defences continuing to hold out. Only on 53, did the Latics first gain an advantage as Doherty slid in with a late, two-footed challenge from behind and saw himself in the book. That meant the Robins defender needed to be careful for the rest of the match.
From the free-kick a scramble in the box ensued as the Latics exerted the first real pressure of the half. However, City managed to just concede a corner; one which Phillips did well to palm out of the danger area and to safety. Shortly after this though, Doherty's petulance and losing battle against Eyres was to be costly for the visitors.
The events of the 59th minute changed the whole game and began with the Latics defence under pressure. Hall had to chase a superb attacking ball that had been lofted over the back line. In catching up with the ball and attacker, Hall slid in, waited for a glimpse of the ball and then cleverly extended his fishing rod-like leg to perfectly take the ball off the visitors toes. In doing so, Hall lay in trouble in a crumpled heap clutching his leg whilst the Latics countered. Within seconds the ball had ended up on the Latics left wing with Eyres. He began terrorising Doherty with his skill and as it looked like he was about to pass, the Robins player floored Eyres. A 2nd yellow was produced and off went the City player.
Fortunately for the hosts, Hall managed to continue after some lengthy treatment. Losing him now, with a man advantage would have been a real upset to the Latics system. However, before the Blues could make the extra man count both sides had half chances with Eyres and Matthews testing the opposite keepers. And then on 66, it nearly went terribly wrong as Low had left Woodman to run clear on the right ring and receive a pass into space. With Pogi coming off his line, Woodman ventured just inside the penalty area and hit an effort for the far corner. The ball beat Pogi and seemed to fly into the far top corner, but fortunately the ball carried on curling away and flew wide of the mark.
The Latics finally took control with both hands on 69. Berehall started the move on the left as he ventured to the halfway and then slipped the ball to Eyres. The former Preston man set off running at the defence, ducking and weaving with the ball and pushing 2 defenders back towards their own penalty area. Having put enough panic into the City defence, Eyres found himself in room and looked up to find Wijhnard slipping into a gap between the 2 centre backs. Having been allowed to drift into the huge gap, the City defence stood in desperation looking for offside as Wijhnard, unfazed, extended a boot to poke the ball home. 1-0. Within seconds, Dowie rang the changes to beef up the midfield and put on a fresh pair of legs upfront.
Duxbury (pictured) replaced Low who had struggled to produce much on his wing and Andrews took over from Corazzin. And it was the former substitute of the 2 that almost netted with 80 minutes on the clock. Wiggy received the ball and with his first touch controlled and his second touch, slid Duxbury through. Chasing after the ball to beat the keeper to it, Duxbury went in hard on Phillips and found himself booked for an overzealous challenge. Unperturbed though, the Latics man was on hand on 89 as he looked about putting the final nail into City's coffin. Receiving a by-line cut-back from Wijhnard, Duxbury flighted an effort for the far corner but it failed to curl in enough and flew wide.As the Robins had to chase the equaliser, they had thrown on all 3 substitutes with Leroy Lita and Aaron Brown joining shortly after Matthews, who had come on just after City's red card. And in a frenzied finish to the game, it was the latter 2 players that almost silenced the now electric Boundary Park.
On 90 minutes, Matthews forced Pogi into a moments indecision as his long range effort looked like it might sneak in, but Pogi made sure it didn't by finger-tipping the ball away. And then as 4 minutes was held up on the board, the best tackle I have ever seen was produced.
A loose ball was pumped into the hosts box and with the Latics looking flat footed, Aaron Brown was through with just Pogliacomi in his way. In a split second thought, most in the ground had consigned themselves to seeing the ball in the back of the net. Just as the ball bounced up and was about to come back down onto Brown's striking toe, Duxbury appeared from absolutely no-where, managed to wrap his whole leg around the City player and whipped the ball away to safety. It was a breathtaking tackle of the highest magnitude and it was a match-winning moment. Duxbury had saved the day - and not for the first time in his Latics career. That will rank up there with his goal at the JJB in the 1999/00 season.
Despite the comments I have heard from many fans since the game, this was a superb performance from the goalkeeper to the strikers. Bristol City made it hard. They defended superbly. But the Latics determination, thirst to run at anyone and everything and their ability to menace and create panic in the defence, saw the man advantage open up and allow the likes of Eyres and Wijhnard to take advantage.
This was a sterling performance and even if Pogliacomi did put us under unnecessary pressure sometimes, with his poor decisions to play the ball out from the back, or even if Josh Low struggled to compete against his opposite number - it didn't matter. We still had enough ideas and options to turn over a side that come May, will probably still be up there with us in Division 2. Has any other Latics side been able to claim that in recent seasons. I think not!!!