Dickov wants front line focus

AT THE DOUBLE... Lewis Alessandra scored twice for the reserves in the 4-0 win at Morecambe

GET IN where it hurts — that is the message from Athletic manager Paul Dickov to his goal-shy side.

Defensive shortcomings have been banished in recent games. The arrival back at the club of on-loan Sunderland centre-back Jean-Yves Mvoto has coincided with a run of three successive clean sheets, the last of which came in the home goalless draw with 10-man Charlton.

It is at the other end of the pitch where Athletic’s problems remain.

Given Yeovil’s position in the table, Athletic are likely to be up against a Glovers side who will fight hard for every loose ball inside their own penalty area at Huish Park on Saturday.

And Dickov wants to see a more lively attitude from the team as a whole in order to stop reading statistics of the like that Athletic have scored a mere four times in their last 13 npower League One games.

“It isn’t just our forwards,” Dickov insisted.

"Against Charlton we were waiting for our wide players to do something before we made a move.

“You have to be alive in the box all of the time. That is how you score goals.

“You have to be prepared to get a header in and take a whack at the same time — that is what Charlton’s defenders did ever so well.

“I say to the boys all the time, even a poor run can turn out to be a good run sometimes, because it takes defenders out of position.”

Lewis Alessandra, like the majority of Athletic’s squad out of contract in the summer, put his case forward for his scoring talents to be showcased from the start in the first team by bagging two goals for Lee Duxbury’s reserves last night.

Morecambe were seen off 4-0 in the totesport.com League, West Division.

An unnamed trialist striker got the opener at the Globe Arena with a fine solo effort, before the same player produced an assist for Alessandra’s first which was struck low from the edge of the penalty area.

Athletic suffered a blow, with left-back Greg Kidd forced off with a damaged shoulder, before a second-half Ryan Burns header and an excellent lob from Alessandra rounded off the scoring.

But the main news in terms of first-team availability was the 75th-minute dismissal of winger Kirk Millar for violent conduct following a flare-up with opposition goalkeeper Lawrie Walker.

Millar, a player who Dickov had earmarked for a chance before the end of the season, is now facing at least a three-match ban from all football, starting in 14 days’ time.

That means the Northern Ireland under-21s winger’s season will effectively come to an end after the home game with Walsall on Monday, April 25.