Johnson points finger after trophy exit

FRUSTRATION: Lee Johnson looks on from the touchline.

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ATHLETIC manager Lee Johnson felt his fringe men did their cause no good at all in last night's first-half horror show.

Only a high penalty from debutant goalkeeper Neil Etheridge in sudden death cost the club a place in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy area semi-finals. The 10-9 shoot-out win followed a 2-2 draw and put Preston into the last four of the competition’s Northern section.

"I’m disappointed. We had done so well after such a poor first half,” said Johnson, whose side recovered from 1-0 down at the break to lead 2-1 with strikes by Dominic Poleon and Danny Philliskirk.

"I had to be brave and make substitutions which were very effective. In the second half, we were excellent. I think the fringe players missed their chance. It hasn't done them any favours.

"In the first half it was men against boys; I had to make it men against men.

“I was really pleased with how the second half went. We had more physical presence, our tempo was higher and we moved the ball more quickly. Everything was just so much better; it was the real us. I can take losing in the right way, but what I can't take is the first-half performance."

Athletic's manager was today set to try to get things in place to make additions to the current squad ahead of Saturday's derby showdown at Rochdale.