Erik Edman plays 40 minutes as Latics Breeze past Boro to net 3rd win of season
LATICS 2
Taylor (pen) 56, Breeze 62
MIDDLESBROUGH 1
Martin 16
Latics Swedish international defender Erik Edman played nearly 40 minutes on the road to recovery under the watchful eyes of manager Steve Bruce as Keith Bertschin's Latics recorded another victory, their third in five games this season.
Steve Bruce was there to witness Edman's first taste of action since he tore his cruciate ligament at Blackburn in the Premier League in March and said he was delighted to see him back on a football field.
Edman came off after 37 minutes of the first half and immediately declared himself to be 'very happy' to be playing again.
"The plan was to take it really easy," he said afterwards, "play for about half an hour or 40 minutes maybe and not to push it too much. Now we can build things up over the next few weeks hopefully.
"I've had a slight hamstring problem over the past few weeks, and along with the knee, it's a case of gradually building up strength. I have to be patient! Overall, I'm very happy to be playing again, it's been a long wait and now I can look forward to getting back to full fitness!"
Edman was back in the stands to watch a great second half as Latics overturned a half-time deficit with goals from Ryan Taylor, who played the full 90 minutes in his search for full match fitness, and first year scholar Jonathan Breeze, scoring his first goal for the reserves.
Richard Kingson played his first official match in Latics colours and looked assured in goal, while Luke Ashworth, back at the club after a two month loan at Leyton Orient, was superb at the heart of the defence.
Gary Martin had opened the scoring in the first half for the visitors, springing the offside trap to slot low past Kingson before Taylor levelled the scores from the spot after the break, after Tomasz Kupisz was bundled over in the box.
The winner came after neat work from Tomasz Cywka on the edge of the box, who laid the ball into the path of Breeze and the finish low to Boro keeper David Knight's left was perfectly executed.
The excellent Cywka was then unlucky not to add a third when he finished clinically past Knight only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
RICHARD KINGSON - Debut
Bertschin said he was pleased with the performance. "It was another game where the boys had to scrap against a very good team," he said, "and I was pleased they came out on top again.
"There were some really mature performances out there, which was the most encouraging aspect for me."
LATICS
Kingson; Taylor, Ashworth, Field, Edman (Pearson 37); Mahon, Hampson (Breeze 44), Routledge, Hampson, Holt, Kupisz; Cywka
Subs not used: Kirkbride, Prince
