Young guns set Latics boss a derby dilemma

DAVID MELLOR . . . impressive.

FAITH in youth was a key component in Athletic's surprise win at Scunthorpe in midweek.

Livewire winger Josh Parker and second-year scholar David Mellor both started for Athletic for the first time at Glanford Park, with 18-year-old Carl Winchester turning out in central midfield in a shaken-up line-up. Each impressed.

Manager Paul Dickov is now faced with something of a selection headache for tomorrow's home derby clash with Rochdale (3pm kick-off), with substitutes Filipe Morais and scorer Matt Smith both having a big say in the 2-1 win, a first of the npower League One season.

"I spoke to people afterwards and they said I was brave, lucky and stupid," said Dickov of his three changes to the line-up which lost 3-1 at Yeovil. "It was possibly all three of those!

"I knew we could trust the young kids who came in and knew that we would get a reaction from the ones left out.

"The attitude of everyone was fantastic. When we scored the second goal I turned to look at the bench and every single one of them was up celebrating.

"It is the sort of togetherness I want."

Mellor operated on the left of midfield against Scunthorpe with a brief to shield Paul Black behind him.

But it was going forward where he impressed most, curling home a superb right-foot shot to give Athletic a 16th-minute lead.

"Technically David is a very good player and he is a strong boy," Dickov said.

"We will have to be a bit careful with him — physically, he is a young boy in a man's body. Sometimes they struggle to get up to a certain level of fitness.

"Ability wise and in terms of football knowledge he is a great young kid and his attitude is fantastic."

After claiming three points — the same number that last season's play-off finalists Huddersfield Town are currently on — Dickov knows his side will be fired up for the test against a new-look Rochdale side, one without a particularly familiar face.

"Chris O'Grady would be a loss for anybody with his goals and the way he plays," said Dickov, of a player recently transferred to Sheffield Wednesday and who scored both goals in Dale's 2-1 win at Boundary Park last season.

"But we have had them watched. I know (manager) Steve Eyres well and I know how he likes to play football and they will be a threat.

"It will be a tough game but a great one for us.

"People talk about derby days with the passion, the crowd, the desire and having that will to win. We have already done that on Tuesday.

"So we need to go out with that as a starting point and it will be a good game.

"The boys are buzzing and we will be going all-out to win."


Frank’s trip down Memory Lane
Former Athletic hero Frank Bunn returns to Boundary Park tomorrow with mixed emotions.

Bunn is now assistant manager to Steve Eyre at Spotland, having left his role with Newcastle's youth academy in the summer.

"I can't wait for the game," said ex-Latics striker Bunn.

"There are plenty of big name clubs in this division and the big clashes come thick and fast.

“But Boundary Park holds fond memories for me and has a special place in my heart – I made some good friends there and was lucky to play in a good team.

“So while I will be going there to do a professional job for Rochdale, it will be nice to revisit my old stomping ground."