Dickov demands more

Latics boss eyes four in a row
ATHLETIC manager Paul Dickov fully expects his players to put in a fourth match-winning performance in a row against Exeter City tomorrow night.

Following successive npower League One victories over Plymouth, Huddersfield Town and Dagenham, the club is currently swamped in positivity on the field.

And should Athletic manage to claim three more league points at Boundary Park, it would match the achievement of the club’s class of 2006-07 — who eventually made it into the end-of-season play-offs.

“We said to the boys before they went out (at Dagenham), the least we expected was a clean sheet,” said Dickov, after the 1-0 win at Victoria Road which arrived thanks to debutant Aidan White’s smart finish.

“They have given me two clean sheets in a row and three league wins on the bounce.

“I posed the question the other day, can we step up? Can we push forward?

“We have got another game now against Exeter. We have the three league wins I asked them for and now we want four.”

Exeter impressed on Saturday in winning 1-0 at Huddersfield Town and could be a tough nut to crack, but Dickov is focused on making sure his own players are up for the challenge.

“We approach the game in exactly the same way we did against Huddersfield and Dagenham,” he added.

“Exeter have had a good season so far. We have had them watched and know they are a threat.

“It will be a tough game for us but as always, if we are ‘at it’ we will have a chance.”

Carl Winchester (17) made his second senior appearance for Athletic and played his part in what Dikcov described as a “magnificent” defensive effort at Dagenham.

The young Northern Ireland prospect is likely to keep his place in the side with regular right-back Kieran Lee struggling to overcome a gluteal strain in time for tomorrow’s fixture.

Dean Furman returns from suspension and is likely to slot back into central midfield for Athletic, who are now only outside the play-off places on goal difference and with a game in hand on all six sides above them in the table.