Greg plays down spot-kick heroics

GREG FLEMING . . . rewarded for his patience.

TONY BUGBY’S weekly look behind the scenes at Boundary Park

PENALTY specialist Greg Fleming believes he got lucky in saving spot kicks in consecutive matches against Peterborough and Leyton Orient.

The 22-year-old ’keeper denied Aaron McLean at Peterborough and Jason Demetriou against Leyton Orient in his full away and home league debuts.

Fleming’s first two league starts for Athletic have certainly been packed with drama and incident.

He he has faced three penalties and been booked twice for conceding two of them.

He said: “It would be fair to say that my first two league starts for the club have been eventful.

“The fact I have saved the penalties is simply down to luck in guessing the right way to dive and then hoping for the best. It is for no other reason than that.

“I dived to the right twice for the two penalties at Peterborough and thought Leyton Orient may have picked up on that, which is why I dived to the left in that match.”

During his career, Fleming has faced five spot kicks and has only been beaten once.

He has saved three penalties and seen another from Peterborough’s Craig Mackail-Smith strike an upright.

Fleming, signed in the summer after Scottish Premier League club Gretna went bust, has waited patiently for his chance as understudy to Mark Crossley.

Until recently, Fleming had to be content with appearances in the Carling Cup and Johnstone’s Paints Trophy as well as 45 minutes in the league game against Hereford, when Crossley picked up an injury.

But Crossley strained a hamstring in training a week last Thursday and is likely to be out for up to three weeks, opening the door for Fleming to establish a regular place.

Fleming said: “It was difficult not being in the side in the early part of the season, but it was important to stay positive.

“There wasn’t a lot I could do about it other than to keep working hard as Mark had been playing well until his injury.

“The manager (John Sheridan) told me to keep my head up and said my chance would come, so be ready to take it.

“Ask any player and all he wants to do is to play. I am hoping to do well and be good enough to stay in the side.

“You have to work hard to get in the side and even harder to stay in.

“And, knowing Mark, he will want to be back in the team when he recovers from injury.”
Fleming may not have had as many games as he would have liked, but he believes he is a better ’keeper than when he arrived at Boundary Park during the summer.

“I have enjoyed working with Mark and you can only get better working with somebody of that calibre.

“He gives me advice every day and he is always there to help.”

Fleming’s performances have impressed boss Sheridan, who said: “Greg has been chomping at the bit to get into the side and since doing so has done very well and given himself a chance of staying there.

“What he has done has been positive, including his talking to the defence and organising things at the back.

“He has stopped two penalties and also made a world-class save against Leyton Orient when he was let down by his team-mates who ought to have cleared the ball after he made his penalty save.

“I felt sorry for Greg because he would have been the hero and got all the headlines if we had beaten Leyton Orient 1-0. He would have got 10 out of 10 in the papers.”

Sheridan believes Fleming has benefited from working with Crossley and tapping into his vast pool of experience and wisdom.

He added: “Mark is one of those lads who will always help. Greg will learn from him and that is why he is on my coaching staff.

“Greg will probably be in the team for three or four games and he has the chance to stake a claim.

“Obviously, if he plays well and keeps clean sheets he will stay in the side.”