JOHNY Placide’s superb penalty save on 36 minutes was enough to maintain the status quo at the foot of League One.

Latics remain a point clear of safety after a passionate derby battle ended goalless at Spotland.

Although with four games to play, it’s true this was a “must-not-lose” contest for both clubs, a dull 0-0 stalemate it was not, as both sets of players gave everything.

Teenager Tom Hamer was given his first league start at right back in place of the suspended Wilfried Moimbe, with Rob Hunt moving over to the left. Ben Pringle was preferred to Patrick McEleney.

On a night as murky as the position both of these sides find themselves as the season reaches its climax, it was the visitors in tangerine who made the brighter start.

Backed by a raucous travelling army, this full-blooded contest started at a frantic pace with both sides committed to attack – and 50-50 challenges.

George Edmundson will testify to that. He felt the full force of an aerial Calvin Andrew taster early on. Andrew is a man with previous against Athletic. The fans were quick to make their feelings clear.

With so much riding on this fiercest of fought derbies, no quarter was being given and clear-cut chances were at a premium.

Duckens Nazon, Jack Byrne and Pringle – all getting forward to support frontman Eoin Doyle – were knitting together some nice patterns of play as Latics forced a number of corners in quick succession.

Then came the first real talking point. When Joe Thompson crashed to the ground with Anthony Gerrard in close proximity, the referee hesitated for a moment – then pointed to the spot.

The decision was debateable to say the least. So much so, that one Latics fan raced on to the field of play and made a bee-line for the official, before being hauled away.

Whether the slight delay which followed was enough to put penalty taker Joe Rafferty off, who knows. But take nothing away from Latics ’keeper Johny Placide who flung himself low to the left to make a terrific stop on 36 minutes. Breathless stuff of the highest order.

Dale were turning the screw and young Hamer – who didn’t put a foot wrong all evening and has a weapon of a long throw in his armoury – had to stand strong as he made a heroic block on Thompson in the area as half-time approached.

Rochdale began the second half where they had left off, enjoying the lion’s share of possession but finding chances difficult to come by as both sides toiled.

Still the feisty challenges came flying in amid a flurry of yellow cards.

You sensed Latics needed to change things and sure enough, first McEleney, then Aaron Amadi-Holloway were thrown on in a bid to add a different dimension. Pringle and Byrne – who went straight down the tunnel – made way.

Rochdale thought they were ahead when a deep cross from the right appeared to get the better of Placide and find its way into the back of the net under the challenge of Andrew. Thankfully for Athletic, the whistle had already gone for a foul on the goalkeeper.

Wellens had a final roll of the dice with 13 minutes remaining when Tope Obadeyi replaced the exhausted Nazon.

Still Dale piled forward. Still Latics stood strong.

There was just enough time for Doyle to get a rare sight of goal deep into stoppage time but he fired high over the bar from Amadi-Holloway’s nod-down.

LATICS (4-2-3-1): Placide, Hunt, Gerrard, Edmundson, Hamer; Fane, Gardner; Pringle (McEleney 59), Byrne (Amadi-Holloway 66), Nazon (Obadeyi 77); Doyle. Subs (not used): De La Paz, Nepomuceno, Benyu, Benteke. Booked: Fane 38, Hunt 55, Edmundson 57, Hamer 76, Gardner 80.

ROCHDALE: Lillis, Rafferty (Wiseman 87), McNulty, McGahey, Andrew, Camps, Rathbone, Thompson (Humphrys 69), Done, Inman, Delaney. Subs (not used): Ntlhe, Moore, Adshead, Kitching, Gillam. Booked: Thompson 55.

Attendance: 6,261 (2,827 away)