Proud boss salutes his battlers

WHAT A FEELING . . . Athletic manager Paul Dickov cannot conceal his delight at the final whistle.

PAUL Dickov laid praise at the door of Athletic’s team collective in digging in to earn a point at Charlton.

An excellent late strike from Filipe Morais cancelled out an earlier goal from Darel Russell, illustrating a never-say-die attitude that delighted Dickov.

“They are a good team — not many will take points off them at home,” said the Athletic boss.

“All-round, we defended magnificently. The two centre-halves were excellent, the midfield kept going and Shefki worked his socks off up front.

“I felt we could get something from the game. I said to the boys at half-time that I felt we would come under pressure, especially away from home at a team that is five points clear at the top of the league.

“Even when they scored, one thing we didn’t do was give up. We have showed in recent weeks that if we have to roll up our sleeves and get dirty and have a go at people, we can. We also showed with the goal we scored that when we get the ball down and play, we are a good team.”

Athletic were grateful to goalkeeper Alex Cisak for making a pair of excellent stops to deny Bradley Wright-Phillips from scoring.

And though the goalkeeper was at fault for the Addicks’ goal, only half-coming off his line for a cross, the fact he was playing behind a back line shorn of injury victims Jean-Yves Mvoto, Kieran Lee and Paul Black made the visitors’ performance all the more impressive.

Josh Parker made a surprise appearance at right-back, Nathan Clarke continued alongside Zander Diamond at the heart of defence and David Mellor played at left-back.

“When I signed Josh, I knew he could play there,” Dickov said. “He has played in the Championship for QPR as a right-back.

“Not many people will out-run him and he defended well and gives us an option going forward as well.

“We had three of the back four missing and it shows the strength of character and togetherness of the players we have that it looked like nobody was missing at all. Charlton are going to get chances, with the way they play. They have got one the best, if not the best, strikers in the division with Bradley Wright-Phillips and he is a threat.

“One thing I didn’t want to do was put everyone behind the ball, as you just invite pressure. When you come to places like Charlton trying to win the game, they are going to get chances. That is where you want your goalkeeper and centre-halves to perform.”