Second-half show was fantastic, says Dickov

THE BEST half of football of the season was just missing a goal.

That was the immediate post-match verdict of Athletic boss Paul Dickov, who watched as his team dominated proceedings after the break against a Colchester outfit with only one npower League One defeat to its name so far.

Substitute Dean Kelly came closest, ‘scoring’ two minutes after climbing off the bench with a header which was ruled offside — wrongly, said Dickov, who had viewed a replay of the incident — but the home team just couldn’t quite crack the tough U’s nut and were ultimately resigned to a fourth Boundary Park draw of the season.

“In the first half, I wasn’t happy with the tempo of our game,” said Dickov, who was spoken to by erratic referee Peter Quinn in the opening period after contesting some dubious decisions.

“We are better than that and are fitter than that.

“We can play at a high tempo for 90 minutes.

So that was disappointing and I wasn’t happy at half-time.

“In the second half, you have to give them credit. They were fantastic.

“I will have to watch it again, to make sure I am not getting carried away, but at the minute I feel that is the best we have played.”

While Athletic were impressive after the break, with Ritchie Jones a particular threat swinging in crosses from the left wing, Dickov felt his side were drawn into a physical tussle before that.

“It was a little bit of a stalemate in the first half,” he added. “But I am not going to accept that, as I know we are better than that.

“I told them that at half-time. We are a good team when we are at it — I keep saying it.

“We weren’t at it in the first half but we were in the second.

“We would like to have won the game and, in the second half, we deserved to win the game.

“But Colchester are a good team, don’t take anything away from them.

“They have had one defeat all season and that says a lot.

“Our finishing could have been a little bit better at times, but sometimes you need the rub of the green.

“If we keep performing and doing what we did in the second half throughout the rest of the season we will be okay.

“Our attitude, tempo, fitness and some of the football we played in the second half was fantastic at times.”

Both Athletic’s substitutes had a big impact.

Kelly was preferred to Warren Feeney as Dickov switched to playing two out-and-out strikers just after the hour, while Paul Black steadied the ship in coming on at left-back for Cedric Evina, who was on a yellow card and having a tough time dealing with the tricky and quick Ashley Vincent.

“Feeno has had a hard week,” said Dickov of the Northern Ireland striker, just back from international duty. “He did ever so well against Italy and has been travelling all week.

“And in fairness to Dean Kelly, in the last couple of games he has come on and looked sharp. He did again today.

“Blackie got left out last week and was disappointed. I was disappointed for him, but his attitude is top-class. He has worked his socks off this week.

“Cedric was on a booking as well. Their number seven Ashley Vincent is a good player and Blackie came on and was fantastic.”


Latics’ next game: Saturday (v Southampton, away, npower League One)