Dickov salutes ice-cool Lowe

JASON Lowe was praised for maintaining his cool after Athletic secured a first npower League One victory in 13 matches.

In only his second game for the club since arriving on loan from Blackburn Rovers, the 19-year-old midfielder could hardly have cut a more composed figure as he slotted the ball low and beyond the outstretched right arm of Notts County goalkeeper Stuart Nelson three minutes from full-time at Meadow Lane.

Only the third goal Athletic have managed in the last 18 hours of football, the late strike arrived after Mike Edwards had been shown the red card for fouling Chris Taylor in the area and was soon followed by another for substitute Reuben Reid.

“I don’t want to say ‘I told you so’ but I felt it was coming, I really did,” said Athletic boss Paul Dickov.

“It was pleasing to keep a clean sheet again and let’s not take anything away from the goalkeeper and the back four for the way we defended.

“To get that little bit of luck with the penalty — which I think it was (a correct decision) — Jason Lowe showed a lot of guts to go up and take it, for a young kid in his second game.

“There weren’t too many who wanted it, either — only Jason and Ritchie Jones.

“I have taken penalties myself and it takes a lot of guts when you haven’t scored for a long time and haven’t won for a long time.

“His performance was excellent and he deserved it.” Dickov expressed his hope, which was in vain, that the result wouldn’t see opposite number Paul Ince lose his job.

While the result leaves Notts County in the relegation mire, Athletic’s three points takes the club to the 50 mark, realistically banishing fears of League Two football next season.

Dickov pointed to an upbeat atmosphere among the squad and praised the work ethic shown by his players in a game played out in tough conditions.

“I am delighted with the boys, not just for this game but the way they have kept at it over the last six to eight weeks,” he added.

“Things haven’t been going well but they should be proud of how they have acted on and off the pitch.

“During this run, the easiest thing would have been to let their heads go down and for sections to moan and groan because they are not in the team.

“When results aren’t going your way it’s the manager’s fault, it’s the training, it’s your team-mates, it’s the fans, it’s the club. . . not once have I heard that.

“They deserve it because they worked their socks off.

“We knew it would be a scrappy game.

The conditions weren’t conducive to a good football match.

“We told the boys it would be a battle and we said to them at half-time to keep believing and keep battling away.

“I wouldn’t say it was a fantastic game. It was a real battle and it could possibly have gone either way.

“But I did think we were the better team.”