Brooke on a loan mission

ATHLETIC manager Paul Dickov hopes Ryan Brooke's loan move to Barrow will help him regain confidence and goal scoring form.

The 20-year-old has joined the Blue Square Bet Premier club for a month and made his debut as a 78th-minute substitute in a 3-1 home win over Wrexham on Saturday.

“Brookey is a fantastic kid," said Dickov, who today makes checks on injured duo Zander Diamond and Filipe Morais, both of whom are struggling with knee injuries ahead of tomorrow's npower League One game at Walsall (7.45pm kick-off).

"He has had nearly a full season out with his ankle injury, which he was frustrated with as much as we were.

“This time last year, if he had been fit he would have started. What he needs to do now is get his confidence back, start scoring goals – which we know he will – and then come back here be ready to go into the first team.”

Meanwhile, Matthew Lund has gone back to parent club Stoke City.

The midfielder had found his opportunities limited by the arrival of James Wesolowski and Tom Adeyemi.