Latics close in on loan deal

MICHAEL BRIDGE

ATHLETIC are set to make a loan move for Reading’s Mitchell Bryant, while much-travelled striker Michael Bridges is also thought to be on their transfer radar.

Bryant, an 18-year-old midfield player, was due to feature for the reserves in last night’s totesport.com League fixture against Preston North End.

But a mix-up in communications meant Bryant, a second-year professional, failed to make the coach as it left for Bamber Bridge where Preston play their home fixtures.

Bryant was a former junior at Manchester United, but was a scholar at Reading, for whom he signed his first professional contract in the summer of 2008.

The teenager had a loan spell at non-league Basingstoke Town last season.

Bridges, meanwhile, is a free agent having been released by Hull City in the summer.

The 31-year-old Bridges recently joined Athletic’s Coca-Cola League One rivals Milton Keynes Dons on non-contract terms but left after three weeks at the club in which he made one first-team appearance.

Bridges, a former England under-21 international, has played for Sunderland, Leeds, Newcastle, Bolton and Bristol City.

He has most recently had spells on loan from Hull at Australian club Sydney FC and Carlisle, for whom he played against Athletic last season.

Athletic reserves squandered a two-goal lead as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Preston.

Coach Lee Duxbury’s side dominated the opening half in which they opened a two-goal lead through Hungarian Attila Beszterczei, one of the players recruited from MTK Budapest, and Kieran Lee.

Preston fought back in the second half with goals from Danny Mayor and Ryan McGreevy, the leveller being scored with only 30 seconds of added time left.

Athletic’s team featured mainly youngsters, the three most senior players in action being goalkeeper Premyslaw Kazimierczak, Kelvin Lomax and Lee, who scored the first team’s dramatic late equaliser against Swindon last weekend.