‘No desire’

MAN IN THE MIDDLE . . . Athletic manager Paul Dickov is flanked by his assistant Gerry Taggart (left) and Peterborough United boss Darren Ferguson.

Eight or nine of them didn’t want to know and just rolled over — Dickov

STUNNED Paul Dickov laid into his players following the dramatic second-half capitulation against Peterborough.

Despite more than matching the visitors in an intriguing opening half at Boundary Park, Tommy Rowe’s close-range finish clicked into life a goal glut which swamped Athletic.

Two headers from badly-defended corners and a pair of expert finishes from arch-poacher Craig Mackail-Smith — the second of which was a volley so sumptuous it drew applause from the home support — raised the heckles of Dickov to such an extent he threatened to replace failing players with those from the youth team.

“I am disgusted with the second-half performance, to tell the truth,” said Athletic’s boss, now without a win since the 4-0 home thrashing of Hartlepool seven games ago.

“In the first half we did well. We contained them to a certain extent and going forward, we played some good stuff.

“We said to them at half-time, don’t make mistakes at set pieces and keep a good shape.

“We went out, Chris Taylor has got to put his foot through it when he tries to bring it down outside our box and they scored from our mistake.

“Then from three set pieces, we make mistakes and also from one ball over the top.

“As long as I am here, I will not put up with the attitude of the team in the second half.

“Heads went down and we lost our discipline and our shape. It is the first time I have questioned their attitude.

“I am not saying Filipe Morais and Dale Stephens played well by any means, but at least they wanted to get on the ball and have a go. The rest of them didn’t. I won’t put up with it.

“It is all I have ever asked of them that they show the right attitude and work as hard as they can.

“If I don’t get it, I will put the kids in.

“I am not joking about that and I have told the players that.”

The final result leaves Athletic six points adrift of the play-off places in npower League One.

Unhappily, it also echoed the defeat earlier in the season by the same opposition, who have now scored 10 times in their two games against Athletic.

“Down there we lost five goals, four from set-pieces,” said Dickov, recalling the 5-2 loss at London Road in September.

“We said to them before the game and at half-time, it doesn’t happen here.

“What do we do? From three set-pieces, three people lose their men and goals followed.

“It is basic, basic stuff and if they don’t want to do it then I will get people in who do.

“Heads dropped after their first goal.

“When a team scores against you, you look around your team for people who will say ‘all right we’ve lost one, let’s get one back’.

“We didn’t have the enthusiasm or desire to get back into the game.

“I won’t put up with it. I didn’t as a player and I won’t as a manager.

“This is the worst I have felt.

“After the Southampton game (a 6-0 home loss) I couldn’t question them about not having a go.

“Here, eight or nine of them didn’t want to know and just rolled over.

“It is not good enough.”