Getting on with the job

FOCUS was the keyword for Athletic star Dean Furman at the weekend.

The build-up to the home draw with Colchester United was marked with gloomy financial news, as the club reported a loss of just over £1.5million for the year ending December, 2009.

And in the first half, the dark cloud hanging over Boundary Park seemed to affect both sets of players on the pitch, as a dreadful, physical period of football was eked out.

Furman said that a stern talking-to by manager Paul Dickov inspired a stirring display after the break, albeit one that didn’t produce a goal for the dominant home team despite their notable craft and energy.

And the 22-year-old Furman — Chronicle Star Man for the third time this term — said that there was no danger of the players’ attention being diverted by off-field matters.

“It is in the press and we have all seen and had a read about it,” said the former Glasgow Rangers player of the club’s money troubles.

“But we don’t want to concern ourselves too much about that.

“We go in to work hard every day. We are looking to do something this season and we don’t want anything else to affect us from the outside.

“As a team we are very close. We are not thinking about any outside influences and we are just working hard every day and thinking about our match on Tuesday or Saturday.”

Furman said it was a difficult task for the team to find their passing range in a congested midfield in the first half of the npower League One clash.

Up against a team who have now drawn eight of their 12 matches, Athletic managed to improve markedly after the interval and would have taken three points but for the offside flag which denied substitute Dean Kelly his first goal in professional football.

“Dean says he wasn’t offside,” Furman added. “I think it may have been Tayls (Chris Taylor) who was offside.

“On another day that gets given and we win the game 1-0, but it wasn’t to be.

“If I am totally honest, I wasn’t happy with myself in the first half.

“I didn’t feel like I got on the ball, but that is credit to Colchester, who made it difficult for us.

“They made it difficult, playing 4-5-1 with three in the centre of midfield and closing the space down.

“They did that very well, but the gaffer wasn’t happy with us at half-time and wanted a reaction.

“In the second half we went out and did that and the game opened up for us, which helped me and Dale (Stephens) get on the ball and we were able to feed it to the real players up the top.

“Because we have started the season well, teams are going to come here and set out their stall as Colchester did.

“We are going to have to find ways around it.”