It was our fault

Latics action at Carlisle

ATHLETIC forward Robbie Simpson feels the players let down manager Paul Dickov after squandering a three-goal lead at Carlisle.

The visitors raced into a 3-0 lead within 44 minutes at Brunton Park through a Shefki Kuqi brace and Tom Adeyemi’s header, but were pegged back to 3-3 after substitute Francois Zoko’s stoppage-time equaliser.

And Simpson, who was Athletic's most effective operator in a pulsating clash in Cumbria, admitted he and his team-mates must take the blame.

He said: “There is only so much the manager can do once we have crossed that white line. It is our fault because silly mistakes have cost us two points.

“If you take into account the 3-3 draw at Preston in midweek, we have played two games which we should have won. That is four points that have slipped away, which would have taken us into the play-offs. The top six is where we want to be.

“Everyone in the dressing room was absolutely gutted.

“The first half was brilliant up until Carlisle’s first goal, but in the second half perhaps we defended a bit too deeply and we paid the price.”

Simpson believes the players must step up their efforts to iron out the creases before Bury come to Boundary Park on Saturday.

He continued: “We have to bounce back. This is the worst I have felt since coming to the club.

“You expect a better return after scoring six goals in two successive away games.

“The only way to react is to get three points against Bury which can hopefully push us up the league table.

“We have to concentrate on cutting out the mistakes. If we can do that there is plenty to look forward to, first a derby game against Bury at home and then Crewe in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, with the chance of a trip to Wembley.”

o Carlisle v Latics report, pictures and more reaction on Pages 34-35