Latics chief eyes hat-trick

ATHLETIC manager John Sheridan has challenged his players to go into their mid-season mini-break with three successive league wins.

Sheridan is looking to improve on an encouraging position of seventh in League One after Saturday’s excellent victory at Southend United.

Athletic had already beaten Northampton and are now preparing for tomorrow night’s match against Walsall at Boundary Park.

After that, due to their exit from the FA Cup, they face a 10-day gap in fixtures.

Sheridan said: “We are in there with a group of teams and it’s important we concentrate on our own results.

“We’ve taken maximum points from two difficult away games, which is all credit to the players, but I want another three against Walsall.

“It’s very tight at the top and I’ve always said there would be 12 teams who think they can get out of this division.

“It might even go down to 14th or 15th because everybody beats each other, but we’ve got to focus on ourselves and make sure we stay in a decent position.

“We had a big disappointment last week (at home to Cheltenham in the cup) and I don’t mind people being critical because it’s all about winning football matches.

“People say things, and that’s life. But as a team and a squad the lads have got on with it, so hopefully we can get a run together.”

Athletic, who are four points behind leaders Leicester, will have to do without defender Reuben Hazell against Walsall tomorrow.

Hazell has been ever-present this season, but he serves a one-match ban for picking up five yellow cards.

Deane Smalley missed the trip to Southend with a hip problem, while Danny Whitaker was ruled out of Athletic’s 2-1 win.

Whitaker had treatment on his ankle injury in the team hotel on Friday. However, he was absent for the third consecutive game.