Display not acceptable – Dickov

BULLIED out of the contest and showing a lack of desire: that was how Paul Dickov viewed his side’s awful capitulation at Yeovil.

After going close through a Matt Smith header in the first half at Huish Park, the visitors went behind when Ed Upson slammed home a rebound from a free-kick which hit the defensive wall.

There wasn’t too much Athletic could have done to prevent that super strike.

There was, though, scope for the team to try to fight their way back into proceedings.

Instead, arriving second-best to every loose ball and showing an inability to retain possession and deal with the danger of livewire midfielder Gavin Williams, Athletic crumbled to concede two more goals which dumped the team at the bottom of the embryonic npower League One table.

Reuben Reid’s second successful penalty kick in five days in injury time was scant consolation.

And while reflecting on the fact that only two games in, the panic button is remaining unpressed, Dickov said that everyone connected with the club deserved more than was shown. in a desperately dispiriting display.

“It was a pretty level game (in the first half) and I thought we had probably the best chance with big Matt Smith’s header,” said Dickov, referring to a great chance two minutes before half-time in which the tall striker headed over Paul Black’s left-wing delivery.

“There were also a couple that flashed past their goal and then they scored from a free-kick which ricocheted to their player who finished well.

“We have been talking all week – actually the players have been talking all week – about how they are going to put it right in terms of second-half performances: about not going a goal down and reacting properly. But talk is cheap.

“We went 1-0 down and they bullied us after that. There was a lack of desire from my players, which I don’t want to be associated with.

“It is the first week of the season and one thing I am not going to do is panic, but it is not acceptable coming here and losing 3-1.

“My players have to know that. We have fans who have travelled a long way down here to support them.

“We will assess it again. The players know they have let themselves and the fans down.

“Between us, myself included, we have to pick them up and we have to get them to start doing the things we know will win us football matches. We haven’t done that here.”

Dickov also felt that his side did not do enough as an attacking force to provide chances for his strike force of Smith and Reid.

“Reuben worked ever so hard,” he added. “We work a lot on our wide players and front two and Reuben is a threat if we give him the ball in the right areas. We didn’t do that.

“We are working hard with him and he has worked hard himself on his fitness.

“Sometimes, whether they can handle the pressure of playing on a Saturday, I don’t know.

“What I do know is that it is the best job in the world and that playing football is not pressure.

“If we do the right things, we have seen we are a good team.”