Leaky defence is Latics worry

Photo: ANDREW SCHOFIELD

ATHLETIC’S Pawel Abbott fires in a shot against Blackpool.

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Athletic 2, Blackpool 4

YOU don’t need to be a rocket scientist to realise where Athletic have been found wanting in their build-up to their new Coca-Cola League One campaign.

Manager Dave Penney admitted that his side’s defensive failings are a worry as they prepare for Saturday’s opening league fixture against Stockport County at Boundary Park.

The four goals leaked against the Seasiders on Saturday took the number of goals conceded to eight in the space of a worrying week.

And Penney conceded that this is something he needs to address if Athletic are to have a successful season as they cannot afford to continue to be so charitable at the back.

On a positive note, however, Athletic don’t appear to have any worries at the opposite end of the pitch as they have scored two goals apiece against Championship sides Middlesbrough and Blackpool.

Pawel Abbott and Keigan Parker, who between them have found the net four times in the last two matches, look as though they have the makings of a fruitful strike partnership on the evidence of recent games.

Penney said: “At the moment we can score goals and look a threat going forward with Abbott’s goals and the pace of Parker, but cannot defend. We have let in some poor goals pre-season, mainly individual errors and set pieces.

“The defensive side is an area I will have to look at when I watch the DVD of the match.

“Three of the four goals came from down the flanks where we without Joe Jacobson and Neal Eardley, natural full-backs. And we lack balance when we don’t have a natural left-footed player in the team.”

“It shows that we are missing a couple of decent players then we look weak defensively, so that is something we will have to address.

“I usually pride myself on my teams keeping clean sheets so that is something we will have to work on or change the personnel.”

Apart from full-backs Eardley and Jacobson, both injured, Athletic began with the team I expect to kick off the campaign with Deane Smalley returning on the right flank after a fortnight-long injury lay- off.

The match will be remembered for its explosive opening as three of the goals came in a dramatic first seven minutes.

Athletic made a breakthrough inside 90 seconds when former Blackpool player Parker provided a pinpoint cross from the right for Abbott to head into the roof of the net.

Blackpool snatched the initiative by scoring twice in little over 60 seconds through Ben Burgess, a former Athletic loan player, and Keith Southern.

Burgess slotted home after a cut-back from David Vaughan while Southern headed home a cross from Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

Athletic made it 2-2 when Abbott struck for a second time in the 19th minute after Dean Furman’s long-range drive deflected off Smalley into the path of Abbott.

He ought to have completed a first-half hat-trick but blazed over after being set up by Parker.

The second half failed to achieve the heights of the opening period, the spate of substitutions from both teams obviously having a disruptive effect.

Blackpool secured victory through two late goals from substitute Brett Ormerod, the same player who failed to find the net during his loan spell with Athletic last season.

Ormerod was lurking at the far post to convert a 72nd minute left-wing cross Taylor-Fletcher and then with four minutes remaining struck again on the break after being played onside by substitute Rene Steer.