Boss refuses to dwell on midweek setback

ANDY TODD . . . “quality player.”

A POSITIVE reaction is the key for Athletic at Bristol Rovers tomorrow (3pm kick-off).

A single-goal reverse was a letdown for the large crowd which roared the team onto the pitch against Carlisle on Tuesday night.

The defeat leaves Paul Dickov's men in seventh place in npower League One.

And having now played more games than every one of the four sides directly above them in the standings, three points against the division's bottom club are important to keep Athletic in touch at the top.

"I am not going to underestimate the effort that was put in at Huddersfield and maybe we were a little bit leggy," said Dickov of only a third home league loss of the campaign.

"But whether we are a young team or not, sides are going to lose games at any level.

"You saw Manchester United lose at Wolves recently. All teams across the country will lose games.

"As I have always said, it is about how you react to it.

"We know we are capable of going on another five, six or seven-game unbeaten run and we want to do that again.

"Trying to do the right things has got us here in the first place and it is the reason we are sat in seventh place.

"We know we are a good team. So as much as we are disappointed from Tuesday night, we move on."

A maximum of four players who turned out for now-Rovers boss Dave Penney at Boundary Park last season are likely to take to the field against their former manager.

One player who won't be doing so is captain Reuben Hazell, who sits out the final game of his suspension.

Veteran Andy Todd settled in well as Hazell's replacement against Carlisle and Dickov had no doubts about what his former Blackburn colleague would bring to the table.

"Toddy has played over 200 games in the top flight, so we know he is a quality player," Dickov added.

"He is a fantastic professional and fitness-wise, we knew it wouldn't be a problem because he looks after himself very well.

"From knowing Toddy as a person as well as a player, I knew he would fit in nicely with the boys."