Dickov delight at win

Shefqi Kuqi shows Athletic aren't afraid to get stuck in

Latics manager Paul Dickov was delighted by his five-star side’s five-star pummelling of Chesterfield to record a third straight emphatic triumph at Boundary Park.

A hat-trick by man-of-the-moment Robbie Simpson — his first in professional football — added to a searing hit by Kieran Lee and a second-half header from prolific Shefki Kuqi to help the home side comfortably see off the Spireites, turning John Sheridan's return into an embarrassing nightmare.

"Robbie is a top footballer and a clever player," said Dickov of his on-loan hat-trick hero, whose seventh assist of the season for Kuqi's strike puts him joint-top goal-maker in npower League One.

"He gets himself into some great positions and technically he is one of the best at the club.
"His goals were all different and all very good. His third summed him up. When we were winning comfortably, he has gone in for a challenge with the goalkeeper in which he could possibly have injured himself. He won the ball and his desire got him his hat-trick.

“Shefki has 12 goals in 16 games now. But when we are winning four and five-one, he is still going closing their 'keeper down. That is what the big man gives you.

“Our two central midfielders Dean Furman and James Wesolowski, particularly in the first half, dominated the game. Every time we got the ball to Luca Scapuzzi, he caused them a problem before he suffered a kick. We switched Chris Taylor to the right wing and he worked his socks off, while Paul Black came in and along with the two centre-backs was excellent.

"It was a really good team performance. For the majority of the game, the football was the best we have produced since I have been at the club.

While praising a team effort full of passion and panache, manager Paul Dickov warned his men to guard against allowing the sort of crosses into the penalty area which enabled Craig Westcarr and former Athletic striker Leon Clarke to get a pair of goals back for the visitors.

"I was slightly disappointed with the two goals we conceded from crosses. You are never going to get perfection from any game, but it doesn't stop me asking for it.

"I believe we have a lot of goals in us this season, both with the players who are starting and those coming off the bench. On the flip side, once we can shore things up a bit at the back we will have half a chance."

Sheridan's summation was the polar opposite of Dickov's, with the glow from a rousing pre-match reception transforming quickly into a shroud of despair as his bottom-of-the-table team conceded three times in the opening 17 minutes.

"I have got to question the players who are out there and I have to question myself for picking the team," said the Athletic legend.

"It is not fair on those who are paying to come and watch us, because we are conceding too many goals.

"The results are simply not good enough. I always look at myself, but I will fight and keep fighting."