Furious boss blasts winger’s antics

ATHLETIC manager Paul Dickov branded Carlisle United's Liam Noble "a coward" after the winger's provocative celebration following the hosts' equalising goal deep into injury time.

Emotions were running high at Brunton Park. Just minutes before Francois Zoko made it 3-3, Noble seemed to elbow Athletic skipper Dean Furman in the face – referee Andy Haines missed it, but booked Furman for his angry protests.

When Zoko bundled home the dramatic late leveller, Noble ran towards the dug-out before sliding on to his belly and sticking out his tongue at Dickov, with whom he also exchanged words after the full-time whistle.

Dickov said afterwards: "He (Noble) is a young man who decided to celebrate in front of me, but he is also a young man who has found his level.

"He elbowed Dean Furman and will have been happy that he got away with it.

“He is a coward as far as I am concerned."

The Scot was bitterly disappointed to see his side squander a 3-0 lead.

Two goals from Shefki Kuqi and a Tom Adeyemi effort put the away side firmly in the driving seat.

But Lee Miller's header on the stroke of half-time and a brace from substitute Zoko after the break - the second came in the fourth of six added minutes - meant Athletic had to settle for a point.

Dickov added: "We gave away goals at daft times.

“Two of them were at the end of either half. We go on about keeping standards high, but after 44 minutes they dropped.

"Their first one was a soft, soft goal from a corner.

"You cannot sit on a lead and invite pressure the way we did in the second half.

"We have got to manage games better.

“We have scored six goals in the space of a few days away at two very good sides and have not won either of them. I am devastated.

"It is down to naivety and sloppiness."

Meanwhile, Dickov is unsure as to the severity of the injury which forced James Wesolowski off the pitch after 51 minutes.

He said: "James suffered a nasty bang to his knee.

“It is too soon to say how bad it is."