Penney slams fringe players

DAVE PENNEY has hit out at the attitude of his fringe senior players after the disappointing draw with Wycombe.

Athletic’s manager, the subject of vitriolic chanting from sections of the Boundary Park crowd, was forced to turn to youth in the shape of teenagers Tom Eaves (18) and Kirk Millar (17) in a bid to get back into the game with the team 2-1 down in the second half.

Though Athletic secured a point through a last-minute Pawel Abbott penalty, Penney (pictured inset) was left distinctly unhappy with his side’s endeavours and will renew efforts this week to bring in a new player on loan.

“We had been trying all week to get someone in but unfortunately we couldn’t,” he said. “We will get back on the ’phone again.

“People came in to the team and didn’t really take the chance when it was there for them.

“There were people on the pitch who didn’t show and didn’t really want the ball like the youngsters who came on did.

“I have no idea why it is. It is the million dollar question and only the players themselves will know.”

Penney also admitted that the clanger from goalkeeper Dean Brill, letting Kevin Betsy’s long-range shot squirm under his arms to put Wycombe ahead in the second half, was crucial.

And it may open the door for on-loan Crystal Palace stopper Darryl Flahavan in tomorrow night’s derby clash at Stockport.

“It is a soft goal — as simple as that — and we should be saving those goals,” Penney said.

“For 40 minutes we were excellent in the first half and then we got a penalty against us.

“We then quickly conceded a poor goal. He (Brill) knows it was a poor mistake.”

Striker Daniel Nardiello is out for six weeks.

The on-loan Blackpool man has suffered a tear in his hamstring, the club have confirmed.

He joins a casualty list which also includes Joe Colbeck (ankle), Lewis Alessandra (hip), Jim Goodwin (thigh) and long-term injured men Andy Holdsworth (knee) and Rob Purdie (hip).

Penney also felt that, in the context of a recent draw at Exeter and a home win over Leyton Orient, the Wycombe result was not too bad.

“It is disappointing not to win but you look at the other side of the coin,” he added. “We haven’t been beaten in three and we have taken five points out of nine.




ATHLETIC’S reserves are in action tonight against Accrington at Hyde United’s Ewen Fields ground (7pm kick-off).