Belief in Billy

HAPPY FACES . . . Billy Mckay celebrates after putting Athletic ahead against Fleetwood last night. PICTURE by ALAN HOWARTH

BILLY Mckay's scoring credentials have never been in doubt according to Athletic's manager Stephen Robinson, who saw the on-loan striker grab his second of the season in last night's comfortable victory.

Wigan man Mckay, who has not found the net in 10 league outings for the club, made it two from two in the Checkatrade Trophy with a neat first-half finish after strong work by Ryan Flynn.

The Northern Ireland international, who has a strong record of goals in Scotland, also hit a post in an opening half that saw fellow striker Lee Erwin find the net in the 2-0 victory at Fleetwood.

"I have worked with Billy a lot in the Northern Ireland set-up and bar David Healy, he is one of the best finishers I've ever worked with," said Robinson.

"It was coming and there are more goals in him. I have a real belief in Billy - hence why I have kept him in the team.

"I'm delighted Lee Erwin got a goal as well as his performance merited it and Ryan Flynn throughout was a massive threat.

"We are starting to see people step up to the plate. Now we have to get a bit of consistency with it."

The result leaves Athletic needing to match Fleetwood's result at Carlisle on Tuesday, November 8, when facing Blackburn's under-21s at Ewood Park to progress to the last 32 of the new-look competition. The club picked up £10,000 for last night's triumph, which took place in front of only 793 fans.

Of more immediate importance on the playing side to Robinson is the need to build on this positive result in the Sky Bet League One clash at Gillingham on Saturday.

"I'm delighted with the performance and the way we knocked the ball about and the frustrating thing is, it was night and day compared to Saturday," added Robinson, referencing the 2-0 home loss to MK Dons.

"Everybody wanted the ball and everyone was on the front foot. There were a lot of positives in the game. Billy Mckay hit the post and we made a lot of chances.

"We said before the game, we want as many crosses in the box as we can get and with strikers in central areas.

"They did that to the letter, so it's very pleasing.

"We have a decent group of boys here and they are as disappointed as I am and the fans are when we don't score goals and win games.

"I want to make it clear that we are all fighting in the same direction.

"We need to take that into the league now. Hopefully the boys take belief from it and we go with confidence to Gillingham."

Athletic were without four players last night who have gone on international duty: Ryan McLaughlin and Cameron Dummigan (both Northern Ireland under-21s), Luke Woodland (Phillipines) and Calaum Jahraldo-Martin (Antigua and Barbuda).

The quartet will also miss the Gillingham game this weekend.

FORMER Athletic striker Cassidy scored on his debut for Adam Lockwood's Guiseley in a 6-1 thrashing of York in the Vanarama National League last night.