Boss Dickov angered by childsplay

ATHLETIC boss Paul Dickov slammed the ‘schoolboy’ antics of his players as his side went down to a third defeat of the npower League One season at Southampton.

After taking the lead through a neatly-worked Dean Furman strike, the midfielder’s fourth of the season, the visitors conceded a Jose Fonte header from a free-kick deep into added time at the end of the first half.

And a failure to clear the penalty area in the 73rd minute saw livewire substitute Alex Chamberlain surge past wrong-footed defenders to win the game for a Saints side who dominated the second half.

Chris Taylor may have equalised with a diving header which was well saved by home goalkeeper Kelvin Davis in the dying seconds.

But Dickov was not making any excuses for a disappointing display containing all-too familiar shortcomings.

“I am very disappointed and we shot ourselves in the foot once again,” said the Athletic manager, whose side have now gone on to lose the last three games away from Boundary Park in which they have taken a lead.

“At 1-0 up and playing well, we never looked to be in any real danger.

“They are a good team — a very good team — and will have plenty of possession at times, but we were playing some good stuff at a goal up and looked comfortable.

“It is about players retaining information which we give them. We tell them, constantly, to pick up.

“Oumare (Tounkara) knew who he was picking up (Fonte) and didn’t pick him up. And they scored.

“We tell them constantly, don’t give away silly free-kicks in and around the box.

“There was 30 seconds to go in the first half, their guy was at the corner flag and we gave away a stupid foul.

“It is about being professional and that is schoolboy stuff. Both goals were.

“I said to them, if it happens once then we are disappointed, but we gave away silly free-kicks 12, 13 or 14 times. Then balls bounce in our box and we don’t clear our lines.

“I was honest with the boys. I said if we want to go anywhere this season, it won’t be playing the way we did here.”

Dickov didn’t place any blame on centre-back duo Jean-Yves Mvoto and captain Reuben Hazell for the hole Athletic dug themselves.

The first Saints strike, a metaphorical punch in the guts at the end of the opening period, was the fourth that Dickov’s men have conceded in injury time at the end of a half this season.

It is a statistic which provides clear indication as to where Athletic are going wrong — a costly lack of concentration.

“Every other set piece apart from the two here we defended really well. I thought the two centre-backs (Jean-Yves Mvoto and Reuben Hazell) were excellent.

“You can’t switch off. I constantly say it, that goals don’t come from one mistake. They come from three, four or five.

“We have to eradicate them, it is as simple as that.

“I really felt we could come here and win and that is the disappointing thing.

“When you come somewhere like this, a great ground with great fans, where Nigel (Adkins) has got them playing ever so well, you have to do things right.

“It is frustrating for me and for the players, as they know how good they can be.

“Keep making the same mistakes and we won’t go anywhere.

“It is up to me to sort that out and I will.”

Southampton manager Adkins said: “I was very disappointed with the goal we gave away as it made things a little bit more challenging for us.

“We have one objective, and that’s to get promoted out of this division.”