Jonno maturing all the time

CHARLIE’S CHAT

WHAT a fantastic week it has been for Athletic.

We have picked up a vital four points from a possible six and that is a brilliant return, considering the opposition and form guide.

Performances have gone up a level in the last three matches and the way the boys have adapted to the new formation is encouraging for the remainder of the season.

Last Saturday’s home win against Crawley was by far the biggest result Latics have earned this campaign. The best thing about it was the fact we didn’t let the disappointment of conceding in added time at Crewe affect us in any way, shape or form.

From the first whistle we played with an intent and a purpose. Our pressing to win the ball back high up the pitch in the tempo that we set was a big factor, while we also showed that little bit of quality in the final third which enabled us to take the victory.

Jonson Clarke-Harris was rightly named man of the match, as his display showed maturity beyond his years.

Let’s not forget, he is only 19 and still has a a lot to learn, but in the last couple of games he has shown not only a physical dominance but also a tactical awareness and understanding which will help him progress as a professional footballer in the future.

I was introduced to the Crawley match with about 12 minutes remaining as a substitute and used all my experience to take the sting out of the game and wind the clock down by winning a few free-kicks to relieve pressure.

I enjoyed this little cameo and probably had more touches of the ball in this short space of time then I did in the 80 minutes I played against Rotherham, which shows the improvement in our quality.

High-fliers Leyton Orient were next up, as we travelled down to London on Tuesday morning and stopped in a hotel for an afternoon nap and some pre-match food.

After only playing 13 minutes of football in our previous two contests, I managed to get a decent chunk of action at Brisbane Road and I should have buried an opportunity that came my way.

I can’t quite put my finger on it at the moment, but I seem to be snatching at the limited chances I get. Whether it be trying too hard or putting too much pressure on myself because they don’t come along often, either way it is not good enough and goes down as poor finishing.

Thankfully, though, Korey Smith dug me out of a hole with a wonder goal to ensure we came away with a well-deserved point.

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s fixture, we face another promotion contender — and club that really put me on the map personally — in Brentford.

I had three great years at Griffin Park, winning trophies and scoring goals. It is a club that I have great affection for, especially after being named in their ‘Hall of Fame’, but there is no room for sentiment when you cross that white line and I have shown that against them already since leaving.

We will also see the return of a home-grown talent in James Tarkowski, but as much as he was a fans’ favourite here, let’s make it a miserable one for him and continue our good run of form to climb up this division.

Enjoy the game.


CHARLIE MACDONALD