Published: Wednesday, 28th July, 2010 5:00pm

Last-gasp equaliser denies Athlone Town victory

Athlone Town 1 Wexford Youths 1

ATHLONE Town came frustratingly close to achieving a first league win in six attempts until a last-gasp equaliser by defender Anthony Wolfe gave Wexford Youths an unlikely share of the spoils at Lissywoollen last Friday.

With the Town having played Middlesbrough and Port Vale in the days preceding - and with Spanish side Villarreal looming the following evening - Athlone were trying to refocus their attention on the bread and butter of league action, seeking a much-needed win to pull them further away from Salthill Devon and Mervue Utd in the bottom three of the First Division.

And for the majority of the game Athlone looked to have done enough to see off a Wexford side that went into this game in sixth position.

One of three Athlone league debutants, Denis Moran, gave Athlone a deserved lead in the 49th minute, and only a series of excellent saves by visiting 'keeper Packie Holden kept the visitors in the contest, before Wolfe capitalised on an all-too-familar nervousness in the Athlone defence to grab a 91st minute equaliser.

Disappointingly for Athlone, the result leaves them with just 20 points from 20 league games, and with only four wins under their belt at this stage of the season.

And although it seems more plausible that Athlone will catch the teams directly above them in the league (Longford, Finn Harps and Wexford), as opposed to being reined-in by basement boys Salthill and Mervue, Brendan Place's team needs wins quickly, as Athlone supporters become more and more frustrated at the direction the season has taken over recent months.

One of the supporters' main concerns is the seemingly endless chopping and changing of playing personnel at the club, with Place now having signed close to a staggering 80 players during his one and a half seasons at the helm.

And last Friday he handed out a further three league debuts to new acquisitions, with former Bohemians youngsters Paddy Collins and Denis Moran coming in at centre-back and centre-midfield respectively. Former UCD and Galway Utd winger Shane Fitzgerald also came into the side after impressing against Middlesbrough, with Athlone missing top-scorer Austin Skelly and right-back Mark Nolan through suspension.

Brian McCarthy, who captained the side in the previous week's defeat to Longford, was dropped in place of Collins, with the strapping Dubliner (Collins) having a commanding league debut at the heart of Athlone's defence.

Denis Moran also looked diligent in the middle of the park and played a neat game before putting his new side ahead four minutes into the second half.

Moran curled a delightful free kick over Wexford's defensive wall and into the top corner of the net, making an immediate impression on the Lissywoollen faithful.

Earlier, Athlone had the better of a largely dull opening half, with Wexford adapting a very defensive outlook, with five men across midfield, including regular striker Gary Sheehan, who took up a role on the left flank.

Town forward Gordon Watson had his best overall game in an Athlone shirt, and twice got into good shooting positions in the early stages.

Firstly, Watson latched onto a through ball by Eoghan O'Shea, after the left-back linked up well with Ryan McEvoy, but Watson's difficult shot was gathered comfortably by Holden.

Moran, Fitzgerald and O'Shea were all involved in Athlone's next attacking move, but this time Watson's more venomous effort was palmed wide at the foot of the post by Holden.

McEvoy and Moran seemed to give Athlone a nice balance in midfield, and it was McEvoy who fired in Athlone's next effort, but Holden was well placed to take his shot.

Despite Athlone's more ambitious approach, it was Wexford that actually went closest to scoring in the first half, when Sheehan's long range effort flew past Michael Schlingermann and crashed off the Town crossbar.

Jason Hughes was also denied by Holden before the break, but while Watson was working well and winning some neat knock-downs up front, Athlone were slow to get supporting players into his path. The Town then got a great start to the second period, with Moran crowning a fine debut with a marvellous free kick.

The Town looked like building on their lead but Richie O'Hanlon's drive, after a good run and cross by Niall Scullion, was blocked away by Anto Russell.

With 15 minutes left, Wexford finally decided to push Sheehan up alongside lone forward Danny Furlong, and almost immediately they looked a bigger threat.

Both Des Hope and Collins were forced to make good blocks from Furlong efforts, but Athlone could have finished the contest when Watson's clever pass set up the off-form O'Hanlon, whose well-drilled low effort was finely turned away by the impressive Holden.

Watson then had a couple of decent chances but on both occasions was denied by more reliable goalkeeping from Holden.

Athlone looked comfortable at this point but seemed to panic unduly in the closing five or so minutes, as their defenders became more and more nervous and began to back off.

The Town were suddenly squandering possession cheaply and hitting far too many aimless long balls, and Wexford - who were now pushing plenty of bodies into attack - found a largely undeserved equaliser on 91 minutes when Wolfe found space in the box and headed past Schlingermann.

Athlone's next league game is at home to Waterford Utd on Thursday evening (kick-off: 7.45pm).

Athlone Town: Michael Schlingermann; Niall Scullion, Eoghan O'Shea, Paddy Collins, Des Hope, Denis Moran, Richie O'Hanlon, Ryan McEvoy, Jason Hughes, Gordon Watson, Shane Fitzgerald. Subs: Dean Marshall for Fitzgerald (81 mins), Kevin Williamson for Hughes (81).

Wexford Youths: Packie Holden; Chris Kenny, Aidan McCann, Anto Russell, Anthony Wolfe, Shane Dempsey, Dean Broaders, Jimmy Keohane, Danny Furlong, Gary Sheehan, Shane Sinnott. Subs: Muzzi Mullen for Broaders (66 mins), Shane Nolan for McCann (84).

Referee: John McLoughlin.

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