Latics produce same old dramatics to claim 1st win of season
Last updated : 02 September 2003 By The Dukinfield Dazzler
After much disappointment, at last some relief. However, as always, the Latics insisted on making it as dramatic as possible.
Against a stubborn, 10-man Rushden side who under normal circumstances would have shown a real attacking presence, the Latics found the Diamonds difficult to kill off in this 5-goal thriller. Penalties, a red card and numerous shavings of woodwork filled an entertaining game of which the Latics rightfully dominated. Unlike last season though, the rub of the green appeared to worn thin though and thus a nervy finale was the result.
Rushden, to their credit, showed that they will be a force to reckon with this season. On the counter, Ondi Lowe possessed a large sized version of former Latics striker Wayne Andrews and his powerful strike was often a threat. Indeed, the Latics were drawn level against the run of play by a wonderful curling free-kick before half-time and that gave Dowie something to think about over his orange.
The opening stages were all Latics though. After just 22 seconds, Clegg sprayed the ball to Murray on the right and his ball found Curier who was 3 yards out. Unmarked at the far post, the Frenchman agonisingly put the ball inches wide of the post.
Rushden, with 11 men at this point, forced a corner on 6 minutes and midfielder David Bell delivered a dangerous 6-yard ball. Haining stooped in with a tidy defensive header but as it landed to Burgess, he volleyed dangerously at goal. John Eyre knew little about his block as it rebounded off him to safety.
As the Latics replied during a blistering opening to the game, Cooksey nodded on a cross for Eyres. In behind, the Latics winger cracked an effort against the outside of the left post. Despite Eyres missing the target there, it wasn't long before the scouser was instrumental and on 13, his ball from defence changed the game completely. Mopping up a loose pass, the Latics captain spotted John Eyre's run and fed him with a superb central ball. Defender Edwards back-pedalled, Eyre managed to get goal-side and the Rushden defender was forced into tugging him down just inside the box. Referee Mark Cooper had little option - a straight red and a penalty.
After Monday's Brentford antics, Dowie had made sure that the penalty taker was decided pre-game and despite more tantrums from Curier, John Sheridan stepped up. With a cool strike into the left corner, Shez doubled his tally for the season. 1-0.
Now with a man advantage, the Latics stepped up a gear. Cooksey should have made it 2-0 when he powered Curier's by-line cut back straight into Turley's gloves. Lowe, Rushden's only real presence in attack now, replied with a 30-yard effort which flew narrowly over. For the Latics, loan defender Mark Hudson then tried an even more ambitious strike from 40-yards but Turley superbly finger-tipped the swirling effort over the bar.
After a frantic opening, the game started to become scrappy. Rushden tried to break the rhythm and the Latics found themselves with plenty of the ball but unable to do much with it. Indeed, only the odd, wayward, long range effort from Eyre and Cooksey had Turley concerned but they were too woeful to test him. Ironically, it was Ondi Lowe who would give them a lesson in long range shooting as on 39, he rifled in a glorious free-kick. With ease, he bent it around a 2-man wall and slotted it just inside the post. 1-1.
The hosts might have been forgiven for being stunned at being pegged back, however on 41 they did produce another neat move as Eyre fed Eyres who shot narrowly into the side netting. The Latics were beginning to put the moves together now but against 10-man Rushden, the hosts had to be careful that pretty football didn't become fruitless football.
The 2nd half opened up in total contrast to the 1st. The first 10 minutes saw only half chances as Hudson blocked an effort from an unusually quiet Rodney Jack and John Sheridan volleyed over Eyres' cross. However, on 57 the Latics wondered how they hadn't taken the lead again.
With the crossbar coming into play again, it was from a Clegg ball that Rushden's panicked defence presented Curier with the goal at his mercy. Turley, left completely exposed by his fumbling defence faced a point blank effort but somehow he got enough of a hand on the ball to push it up onto the underside of the bar. Even then, the ball wouldn't fly out to a Latics player and you had to wonder if the hosts were ever destined to win this game.
To prove that the Latics were having to battle not only Rushden but what appeared to be their fate, just two minutes later they again must have wondered how they weren't leading. Sheridan's corner flew dangerously into the 6 yard box and as Turley made a hash of it, the chance fell to Holden to poke over the line. Charging in, Holden couldn't manage to beat Bignot to it and the Diamonds defender managed to hook the ball away.
Just like the 1st half, the game began to get scrappy but again it was the hosts in control. Eventually, another flash a brilliance from Eyres broke the lock. Almost emulating Lowes equaliser, Eyres struck a grasscutter for goal from 35yds. Unlike the Diamonds effort though, the ball struck the inside of the post and ran along the goalmouth. This time a Latics player did get there first as Haining poked home what the Boundary Park faithful hoped was the winner. It wasn't to be though. 2-1.
After another impressive performance Dowie changed Curier for Vernon. But before the forwards could keep the pressure on Rushden, they again shocked the hosts with another equaliser. A challenge on Lowe on the edge of the box deflected off Holden into the path of Jack. Having done little throughout the game, Jack smashed for goal pulling a great save from Pogi. From the corner, the hosts failed to clear and eventually, as the defence neither held a line or pushed out, a great ball over found Bignot. Pog's was stranded leaving the Rushden defender to tap home his first goal for the club. 2-2.
Knowing a win was vital, Dowie through on his most attacking players left on the bench. Roca and O'Halloran (a player who should have started or played a lot sooner in the game) came on as a final throw of the dice. Throwing everything forward for a winner, Cooksey smashed Eyres lay off inches wide of the post.
Eventually, in true Latics style, the dramatic finished arrived. With everyone pushing forward, Vernon at the by-line managed to pick out O'Halloran with his cut back. Putting his head down and smashing the ball for goal, the former Derby man struck the sweetest ball through a crowd, past the keeper and into the far corner. The Chaddy End completely erupted as finally, 4 minutes into injury time, the winner had been secured. 3-2.
The importance of the winner could not be underestimated not only for the points but for morale. Despite having played 10 men for over 75 minutes, the amount of chances that Latics created would have counted for nothing had only a point been won. For a young side where confidence and morale is often key to success there is no question that anything other than a win would have been demoralising. Dowie's comments after the game, expressing how we could have been 3-0 up, signalled the way the players would have taken it if a win wasn't the result. In the end, the Latics showed a chink of last seasons resilience. And like last season, a late, late winner was the reward. Let's hope there's more of the same to come now. Indeed, let's hope that there's plenty more Dowie Spirit to come.
