THE DREAM LINGERS ON

City kept their slight play off chances alive with a hard fought win against a strong Oldham Athletic side at Ashton Gate this afternoon.

City were unchanged following their victory at Hartlepool on Saturday but there were changes on the bench with Phillips and, surprisingly, Brooker returning to the squad.

After a lack lustre start to the match, City suffered a blow after only four minutes when Luke Wilkshire was injured in a collision, his teeth being pushed through his lower lip. The Australian was taken to the dressing room for treatment and City continued with ten men, but Oldham failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority with a high, wide and handsome effort by Porter being their only attempt on the City goal.

At the other end McCammon went close with a low shot which forced a good save by Grant in the visitor’s goal.
Wilkshire had still not returned to the fray and Alan Walsh was despatched to the dressing room to ascertain the situation, he found that Wilkshire had received stitches but was feeling faint and unable to return to the game immediately.The club’s medicos came to the conclusion, therefore, to end the midfielder’s involvement and so, after only 14 minutes,Brooker who had been hoping for a fifteen minute run out at the end of the match found himself in the thick of the action.
David Cotterill moved to the right wing and Scott Brown to the left side of midfield.

The match continued with neither side able to establish superiority, although City were indebted to Basso for a fantastic save in the 27th. minute when he dived acrobatically to his right to turn Beckett’s goal bound shot away for a corner.City then threatened with a superb run by Scott Brown, the former Evertonian made fully fifty yards before unleashing a venemous shot from the edge of the area which Grant was only just able to divert round the post at full stretch.

Beckett went Close for the Latics and Noble for City as the half drew to a close.But just on the interval the deadlock was broken when Beckett got away from his marker Orr, to meet Eyre’s corner with a fine header which gave Basso no chance to save.

City began the second half in determined mood but found the Oldham rearguard a tough nut to crack, but crack they did in the 55th. minute although not without a slice of good fortune for the home side. McCammonn knocked down a centre to the onrushing Brown whose flick
was clearly handled by Guy Branston who had got himself into a pickle inside the area. Russell sent the resultant spot kick to Grant’s right but the Oldham keeper guessed correctly to save.However the assistant referee had spotted a defender encroaching into the area and the referee ordered the kick to be retaken and this time Russell made no mistake to level the scores.

City had the impetus now and the impressive Brown sent a shot just wide of the post and Brooker nearly got on the end of a long through ball from Woodman.City went even closer through Noble who curled a fine free kick over the defensive wall only to see the ball clatter the crossbar and rebound to safety.

Oldham countered and Edwards forced a save from Basso but should have squared to Beckett who would have had an easy opportunity to restore Oldham’s lead. City brought on Savage to replace the tired looking Mccammon on 75 minutes and a minute later took the lead. Woodman’s corner from the right was flicked on by Orr, compensating for his earlier error, and Brooker was on hand at the far post to head into an empty net.

Oldham strived desperately for an equaliser and the in form Beckett twice shot narrowly wide but City held on to claim the points and keep their season alive for at least another five days.