Penney seeking home comfort

JIM GOODWIN: Had thigh injury.

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ATHLETIC’S players have been told to take the initiative when Norwich come to Boundary Park tomorrow.

Manager Dave Penney wants his side to forget about the disappointing display in the midweek defeat at Leeds and get back to the way the team played at Colchester last week.

And Penney reckons that if the team creates as many chances tomorrow as they did at the Weston Homes Community Stadium seven days ago — albeit in defeat — then the goal drought will end against the current front-runners in Coca-Cola League One.

“We knew the fixture list when it came out and we have to play them all twice anyway,” said Penney, when asked about a run of fixtures against the top three sides in the division.

“So you have to get the points whether these games are spread out through the season or confined to a week like we are having.

“We had a good week before, beating Tranmere and Walsall, then we went down to Colchester and produced an excellent performance. To get nothing from that game was criminal.

“Against Leeds we set out our stall to frustrate them, which we did first half. But we didn’t do enough when we had the ball and gave it away cheaply.

“We were well beaten there but it is great to get the chance to bounce back now against the league leaders in what will be another tough game.

“We have the chance to put that right. It is a home game and we have to take the game to them.”

Penney also confirmed that, barring any injury problems, he expects to extend the loan of Millwall striker Jason Price next week.

On the comeback horizon, midfielder Jon Worthington and striker Lewis Alessandra both played the best part of an hour in a heavy defeat for the reserves against Rochdale on Wednesday afternoon but neither is deemed ready yet for the first-team squad.

Jim Goodwin (thigh) and Danny Whitaker (flu) have both missed the past two games but could return tomorrow, while Darryl Flahavan may replace Dean Brill in goal.

Athletic (from): Brill, Marrow, Hazell, Gregan, Jacobson, Smalley, Stephens, Furman, Taylor, Abbott, Price, Flahavan, Aljofree, Lomax, Parker, Lee, Colbeck, Eaves, Brooke, Whitaker, Goodwin.

Midfielder Darel Russell is suspended for Norwich and boss Paul Lambert may decide to leave Oli Johnson — scorer of both goals in the midweek 2-1 win against Southend — on the bench.

Norwich (probable): Forster; R Martin, Doherty, Nelson, Rose; McNamee, Smith, Lappin, Hoolahan; C Martin, Holt. Subs: Steer, Gill, Spillane, Adeyemi, McVeigh, Johnson, Hughes.