Latics look for home comfort

JOHN SHERIDAN insists Athletic will stick to their attacking principles in tonight’s big game against Scunthorpe United.

Athletic tackle the League One leaders after being hit by consecutive away defeats, but they have had plenty of home comfort at Boundary Park this season.

Four wins and two draws – with 16 goals scored and only five conceded – form an impressive record for Sheridan’s men.

And the manager is looking for more of the same as he bids to climb back into League One’s play-off zone.

He said: “We are a very positive team at home and that’s the way it needs to stay.

“After two poor results this is a great game to be involved in. I’m looking forward to it because to beat the leaders would be a big lift for everyone.

“Scunthorpe have a lot of players from when they won promotion two years ago, and they will come here full of confidence because they are winning games.

“They are the so-called best team in the division, but we’ll do what we always do – we’ll take the game to them.

“I had a very frustrating weekend after the game at Swindon on Saturday and, at the moment, we are being destroyed by the manner of goals we concede.

“But it’s best to forget about Swindon if we can because we’ve got a big test and I’m confident we will get a result.

“The goals have dried up of late, but we have players who can score so we need to be more compact in defence.

“We’ve got to tighten up and I will pick a team who I feel can win us the game – there will be changes.”

Experienced midfield man Kevin Maher, a summer recruit from Southend, could be handed his first league start since the campaign’s opening day.

Several other players are vying to be recalled, including teenage striker Lewis Alessandra, who was left out of the 16 on Saturday. The game kicks off at 7.45.

ATHLETIC (from): Crossley, Eardley, Hazell, Gregan, Jones, Liddell, Allott, Whitaker, Taylor, Ormerod, Hughes, Lomax, Maher, Smalley, Davies, Alessandra, Fleming.

SCUNTHORPE (from): Murphy, Byrne, Iriekpen, Pearce, Williams, Sparrow, Togwell, McCann, Woolford, Hooper, Hayes, Mirfin, Wright, May, Forte, Lillis.

Athletic, in conjunction with the Chronicle, will hand out special ‘win, win win vouchers’ to all fans at the turnstiles tonight and at home to Yeovil on Saturday.

If Athletic win both matches, holders of both vouchers will receive free admission when Leyton Orient visit Boundary Park in December. Season-ticket holders will receive a £15 token for the club shop.