All the talk after Saturday's game was about the 56th-minute incident that led to Neil Harris' match-winning penalty. The camera, so they say, never lies...
Oldham Chronicle
ATHLETIC goalkeeper Dean Brill believes it was six of one and half a dozen of the other in the build-up to the Millwall penalty which condemned Athletic to a 1-0 Coca-Cola League defeat at Boundary Park on Saturday.
Under-pressure Athletic had been the better side until the 54th-minute spot-kick award given by referee Andy Haines, following the intervention of linesman David Storrie.
Millwall striker Neil Harris tucked away the penalty, leaving Athletic's players and fans aggrieved at a decision given when the home side were attacking at the opposite end of the pitch.
Brill, who had a clear view of the incident involving Athletic skipper Sean Gregan and Millwall striker Steve Morison, said: "Their centre forward and Sean went up for a header and I know he had a kick at Greegs, who turned round and grabbed him.
I think the linesman was about to walk away and let it go.
I don;t know if one of their players had a word with the referee, but he pulled it back.
I have never seen anything like that. It was just a tussle. They both had a grab, a kick and a pull at each other and it was a very strange decision."
South London Press
A CONTROVERSIAL Neil Harris penalty saw Millwall win away for only the second time this season to keep them in touch of the top six in League One.
Manager Kenny Jackett had promised The Lions' luck with officials would even itself out eventually after some contentious decisions earlier in the campaign, and Steve Morison certainly seemed to get the rub of the green in winning a second-half spot kick.
Latics skipper Sean Gregan was pulled up for an alleged push and Harris made no mistake from the spot.
Lewis Grabban should have put the result beyond doubt 15 minutes from time after Morison's curler had come back off a post, but Dean Brill recovered brilliantly to keep the home side in the game.
However a gritty and resilient defensive performance, emphasised by six yellow cards, ensured Millwall held on for all three points.
www.oldhamathletic.co.uk
"I didn't see it, really" said Dave Penney of the penalty incident that cost Athletic the game against Millwall.
"I'm looking at the edge of their box like everyone else" said Penney, "the ball must be 50 yards away. Something has happened in our box with Sean and their lad, he's booked Sean and everyone is amazed he's given a penalty.
"The video will be looking at the ball - so we'll never know really - I'll go in and speak with the Ref, but that doesn't change the fact we got beat one-nil, by the penalty."