Strike pair hoping for a clear run

LATICS fans are hoping the dynamic duo of Lee Hughes and Craig Davies will blast their side to promotion in the new League One season.

Hughes and Davies struck up a fine partnership before being hit by injuries last term . . . . now they are aiming to spearhead an assault on the Championship.

There are plenty more forwards in a revamped squad – and Chris O’Grady has looked particularly strong since joining from Rotherham – but Hughes and Davies are Athletic’s most established front men.

Last season brought a combined total of 22 goals in 58 starts, with Davies ending as 14-goal top scorer.

Davies said: “Hughesy and me had built up a decent understanding, so it was really frustrating for us both to get injured.

“It worked because our styles seemed to complement each other well – and if one of us didn’t score the other usually did.

“We are two different kinds of player, but at the end of the day we both want the same thing, which is to score goals.

“I’ve got my personal aims for this season and I’m sure Hughesy is the same, although the most important thing is to help the team win promotion.”

Hughes (32) – currently nursing a broken toe but set to return next week – and Wales international Davies started 17 games together last season. Athletic lost only three of them.

But a groin operation meant Hughes didn’t play from January onwards, while his sidekick missed 10 weeks with a torn hamstring.

Davies (22) went on: “We both know how important it is to show some decent early form because there are so many players fighting for places.

“The younger lads (Deane Smalley, Matt Wolfenden and Lewis Alessandra) have proved they can do a really good job, and then we’ve got Chris O’Grady who has come into the club, done well and will be desperate to play.

“There are lots of partnerships for the manager to look at, so I’m hoping to stay fit and improve on last year.

“I was fairly happy with my first season, but there’s a lot more to come because I know I can do better.

“I got 14 goals before my injury and one or two of them were quite memorable, but there were parts of my game which needed work.

“Like everybody else, I’m really looking forward to the season – it’s going to be a hard league, but we can’t wait to get out there.”