Oldham Athletic 2 Port Vale 1
Last updated : 11 October 2003 By The Chairman
The Latics pulled the rabbit out of the hat again today with a great win over third placed Port Vale in front of nearly 7,000 supporters and the watching TV world. Vale could have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute and then Chris Killen could have scored after a bright start from both teams, but the end to end play resulted in no goals in an exciting first half.
The second half was better for the Latics as they took more control with Killen having a stormer against a team with whom he had previously been on loan. He was dreadfully unlucky when his shot hit the bar after some good work by Paul Murray.
The breakthrough came in the 71st. minute after Calvin Zola’s header came back off the woodwork. Killen scored the goal which he had worked so hard for with a brilliant overhead kick from six yards. It was only his second goal of the season. Seven minutes later Vale were level after Mark Hudson lost it, and hacked down McPhee on the edge of the area. The resulting penalty saw Pogliacomi dive the wrong way.
The game was sealed four minutes from time when David Eyres took a 40 yard free-kick from the right touch-line. The kick eluded everybody, including the despairing efforts of Delaney in the Vale goal, and sailed into the far corner to the delight of the Latics fans.
After the game Iain Dowie said, “It was a good game of football which we shaded in the first half even though our passing wasn't as slick as usual. Our second-half performance was much better and at times some of our football was really excellent. When we got our goal, I thought it was fully deserved. There were some excellent passing movements full of energy and Murray was very much to the fore. Killen and Zola became a real handful for Vale and I'm really pleased because we looked really solid. I thought Chris Killen was outstanding today. Killen was bright, he was sharp, but then we went and committed suicide.”
“We work on defending all week and it was a poor goal to give away even though it was outside the box. If you make challenges like that in and around the box then the referee is going to give a penalty. Although I am bitterly disappointed to have had a penalty given against us, defenders can't make decisions like that. They've got to keep men in front of them and not behind. David Eyres’ freekick was fortunate only if you don't work on these on the training ground. We work on them so that the ball finishes at the far post or inside it. If no one heads it, then it goes in. If that's fortunate then I'll be fortunate all the time.”