Latics in Christmas points quest

COMEBACK TRAIL: Athletic forward Chris Taylor is targeting a Boxing Day return.

TWO wins from the next three games is the minimum target for Athletic over the Christmas period.

A 2-0 defeat of Exeter City at Boundary Park last weekend restored a good helping of much-needed confidence, and Dave Penney’s side travel to Wycombe Wanderers tomorrow in high spirits for Saturday’s Coca-Cola League One clash.

While damage limitation was the key to getting an injury-ravaged squad through a difficult period of games against the likes of high-flying Leeds and Norwich, Penney’s right-hand man Martin Gray accepts that the onus is now on Athletic to produce against the sides in and around them.

“We have a block of games, including Exeter, where you are looking to get at least nine out of 12 points,” said Gray.

“I’ll be honest about that. You have Wycombe, then Tranmere at home on Boxing Day and Hartlepool away two days after that.

“You are looking to take as many points as you can.

“Get them and you are back in the top half and then, hopefully, with the players coming back around Christmas time, it gives you a good start to the New Year.

“Chris Taylor, Reuben Hazell and Pawel Abbott are making very good progress. They are not far away, I am led to believe, and in the near future should be back with us.”

Team-wise, Athletic are not expected to make many changes to the squad for the Wycombe game but the hope is that by the time Tranmere arrive at Boundary Park on Boxing Day, those three players will be ready for action once again.

Taylor, who hasn’t played for Athletic since winning and scoring a penalty against Colchester a month ago, is suffering from a problem relating to where the hamstring attaches to the bone.

Along with Abbott, Hazel and striker Lewis Alessandra, he is undergoing running exercises with club physio team Marc Czuczman and John Guy.