Play-off aim for red-hot midfielder

James Wesolowski: play-off aim

GOAL king James Wesolowski believes Athletic are starting to gel into a side capable of challenging for a place in the npower League One play-offs at the end of the season.

The tough-tackling Aussie, who followed up his first strike for the club against Wycombe with a brace at Preston in midweek, has witnessed enough evidence on the training ground and in recent matches to suggest a top-six finish is not simply a pipe dream.

Paul Dickov’s side will look to make it three games unbeaten when they head to Carlisle on Saturday.

“We are beginning to gel now and I think the way we came back from the dead twice at Preston shows the strength of character we have in this squad,” said Wesolowski.

“We enter this weekend’s round of fixtures just four points off the play-off places.

“No-one is going to get carried away, especially so early on in the season, but any team that finds a level of consistency in this division has a good chance of doing well.

“I hope we can go on a run now and remain undefeated for a while. If that happens, then a top-six finish has got to be a realistic aim. The fact we came away from Deepdale gutted not to have won the match is a good indication of how far we have come.

“I think we have plenty of quality throughout the squad and the only thing we have lacked is consistency, which is something we are all determined to put right.”

As for his new-found success in front of goal, Wesolowski pointed towards his belated return to full fitness.

He added: “When I joined the club I had not had a full pre-season so it took a few games for me to get up to speed.

“I feel 100-per-cent fit now and that can only help my performances and help me make runs into the penalty area.

“I said after my first Latics goal against Wycombe that I wanted to contribute more in order to take some weight off the strikers’ shoulders.

“Obviously, I was delighted to get two more and I would like to think I can keep it going.”