Diego_Sideburns Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 How can anyone reading tonight's rarely wrong Chron not get excited about Latics? Another very humourous report from Mr. Yarwood: Oldham 4, Cheltenham 0: Life’s a beach for Latics Reporter: Michael Yarwood Date online: 25/08/2008 I WAS watching women’s beach volleyball the other day. Very nice, very nice indeed. It was especially good to know that the two birds — sorry, athletes — chosen to represent America at the Olympics were called Misty and Kerri. Let’s face it, when your names are Misty and Kerri (and it had to be Kerri with an ‘i’), beach volleyball is the only way to go. Trouble is, it’s not a proper sport is it? It doesn’t deserve a place at the world’s greatest celebration of psychological endurance and physical achievement. “Faster — Higher — Stronger” goes the Olympic motto. In beach volleyball it should be “Cold Beer — Disposable Barbecue — Roll About In The Sand”. Frankly, if Misty and Kerri had been even half-dressed I would have turned off in disgust. Just so you know, the next world championships are being held in that well-known coastal hotspot of Stavanger, Norway. Last year’s venue was land-locked Switzerland. All true, and so is the fact that Athletic stand top of League One with three wins out of three, two clean sheets and 10 goals scored. No, honest. Manager John Sheridan wanted a bright start to the season, but even the most optimistic of fans can’t have expected Athletic to deliver in such style. Cheltenham were blown away at Boundary Park as the hosts carved out endless openings and Lee Hughes spearheaded their victory with a clinical hat-trick. Hughes gave Cheltenham nightmares all afternoon, turning them in every direction, beating them on the ground, in the air and taking defenders into places they didn’t want to visit. Goals aside, it was a fine exhibition of centre-forward play. And, having missed one or two earlier chances, he vented his anger with a bullet of a shot to open the scoring. Sheridan’s men were home and dry with half an hour to spare as Hughes completed his second hat-trick in 25 games for the club — he now has 11 goals in 21 starts. It was a shame that strike partner Lewis Alessandra didn’t chip in too. He deserved to score, but that honour went to midfield man Danny Whitaker instead. So Athletic are riding high as the only team in League One with a 100-per-cent record, something to inspire enormous confidence even at this extremely early stage. They are playing attractive football and showing an almost tangible sense of self-belief. Let’s remember they are just three games into a long season. Nonetheless, it’s still good to watch. This latest victory saw them overpower, and then overwhelm, a visiting side full of experience and physical strength. Cheltenham had a very brief stab at fighting back but, with apologies to Bob Dylan (after all, he might read the Chronicle online), you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. Athletic had gone straight on to the offensive, working half-chances for Alessandra and Hughes as their midfield clicked into gear. And they went desperately close after 15 minutes when a clever turn by Hughes set up Whitaker, who drilled against the post from 20 yards. Cheltenham’s Jennison Myrie-Williams was unlucky from the next attack, curling his shot inches wide from near the corner of the box. The visitors played some neat football, but they were pinned back again as Hughes failed to make proper contact six yards out. Hughes, however, was menacing Cheltenham’s defence, and he bullied Michael Townsend out of possession before the centre-half recovered to block his goalbound shot. Hughes also fired wide and felt convinced he was dragged back for a penalty before Athletic’s frustration was summed up in a mad scramble. It looked certain to end in an opening goal, yet Cheltenham ’keeper Shane Higgs saved superbly from Reuben Hazell, while the post denied Hughes. Surely Athletic’s pressure would earn them a half-time lead. With seconds to spare, it did — Alessandra’s pass sent Hughes racing into the box, and he wasn’t going to miss from eight yards. Now that the floodgates had been kicked open, Athletic charged through by doubling their lead in the 50th minute. Kelvin Lomax’s deep cross was sent back in by Andy Liddell and, once again, Hughes left the ’keeper stranded with a precise first-time finish. After Alessandra’s low drive almost made it three, Cheltenham popped momentarily into Athletic’s half and Myrie-Williams gave Mark Crossley his only test. But Cheltenham were powerless to stop the Hughes jamboree as he rounded off his treble with a close-range header from Neal Eardley’s perfect cross. That was three goals in 17 minutes and you felt the only way to prevent Hughes striking again would be to take him out of the game entirely, which Sheridan duly did. The big spoilsport. Athletic, however, were no one-man band — far from it — and their victory was crowned near the end when Whitaker swept into the bottom corner from 20 yards to score his first goal for the club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 (edited) How about inviting the Brazilian womens beach volley ball squad to BP for an exhibition game, It would have to be next spring though when the pitch should be nice and sandy. I am sure such an attraction would meet with your Latin approval Diego. Edited August 25, 2008 by BP1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 The beach volleyballers don't do it for me on the whole. Now, the Norwegian Women's Handball Team on the other hand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 How about inviting the Brazilian womens beach volley ball squad to BP for an exhibition game, It would have to be next spring though when the pitch should be nice and sandy. I am sure such an attraction would meet with your Latin approval Diego. That sand gets in all the crevices and could blow into your eyes if you're too close to the action, but I'm all for trying something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 The beach volleyballers don't do it for me on the whole. Now, the Norwegian Women's Handball Team on the other hand... I haven't had the pleasure - where does the "other hand" come into play? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboafc Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 (edited) I haven't had the pleasure - where does the "other hand" come into play? look we are all hands but the photo of hughesy he is all fists Edited August 25, 2008 by boboafc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 (edited) I haven't had the pleasure - where does the "other hand" come into play? Wait a minute, there's a bloke in the middle of this pic, is it Leesie having a hand in the celebrations ? Edited August 25, 2008 by BP1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I haven't had the pleasure - where does the "other hand" come into play? With practice, it can take care of things if you've exhausted the primary one in the first half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 Doesn't the one second from the right play for Liverpool? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 With practice, it can take care of things if you've exhausted the primary one in the first half. It's always an advanatage I think to be ambidextrous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLatics Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 How about inviting the Brazilian womens beach volley ball squad to BP for an exhibition game, It would have to be next spring though when the pitch should be nice and sandy. I am sure such an attraction would meet with your Latin approval Diego. Thats the attendence problem sorted!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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