Brill keen to shake off travel sickness
Reporter: By Tony Bugby
Date published: 21 August 2009
GOALKEEPER Dean Brill is delighted that travel-weary Athletic are finally back home after a marathon stint on the road.
After successive away games at Carlisle, Leyton Orient and Millwall in an energy-sapping week, Athletic can at least look forward to three of their next four matches taking place at Boundary Park.
In the build-up to tomorrow’s home game against Swindon, Brill said: “It is nice to be back home, especially after two long journeys to London in the space of three days.
“It is part of the rigours of football and I am glad it is over because it has been a long week.”
Brill believes Athletic acquitted themselves well in the league, deserving their win at Leyton Orient and being a little unlucky to lose at Millwall.
“Millwall are a very good team but we more than matched them and had as many scoring opportunities as they did,” he said.
“I suppose three points from two difficult away games is not a bad return.
“But the way we conducted ourselves and approached the two games, we are disappointed to have only picked up three.”
Brill is delighted with the way in which Athletic’s new-look team is blending, bearing in mind there were eight debutants in the starting line-up for the opening match of the season against Stockport.
He said: “We have a good group of players who all know what they are doing, which is down to the staff as well as ourselves.
“We are also quite a young group with a desire to do well and we have gelled well and look a strong unit.”
Athletic and Swindon go into tomorrow’s league game with four points apiece from their first three matches.
It has been an eventful start to the campaign for the Robins, who lost 5-0 at newly-promoted Gillingham on the opening day of the season.
RESPONDED
They have responded positively to that awful defeat and arrive at Boundary Park unbeaten in their three subsequent matches.
Days after the loss to the Gills, Swindon won 4-1 at Milton Keynes Dons in the Carling Cup.
They have since been involved in a goalless draw in the league against MK Dons at the County Ground before defeating Southampton 1-0 at home on Tuesday.
Like Athletic’s Dave Penney, Swindon manager Danny Wilson has completely transformed the playing staff.
Fourteen players left the club in the close season, including star striker Simon Cox, who was sold to West Brom for an initial £1.5million which can rise to £1.9m.
Wilson brought in seven players including goalkeeper David Lucas and midfield man Jonathan Douglas, both from Leeds. Douglas, who kicked off his career at Blackburn Rovers, has been a revelation.
Wilson is still looking to strengthen his side, especially the forward line as he only has two fit strikers - Billy Paynter and England under-20 international Tope Obadeyi, who was signed last Friday on a month-long loan from Bolton.
Veteran striker Lee Peacock is currently recovering from back surgery which is why the Robins are lightweight up front, something Athletic will be keen to exploit.
