Give the lads a helping hand

Paul Black in action

ATHLETIC are appealing for 'more of the same' from fans at Huddersfield.

The travelling army at Liverpool made themselves heard throughout the FA Cup third-round tie and with npower League One points up for grabs in the cross-Pennine derby at the Galpharm Stadium on Saturday, acting chief executive Barry Owen hopes that a good number will make the short trip.

League victories for Athletic have been scarce of late — only two have arrived in the last nine fixtures — and against a Huddersfield side buoyed by their 6-0 hammering of Wycombe, Paul Dickov's men will need all the vocal support they can get to improve that record.

"We always take a big following to Huddersfield and hopefully, that can be replicated," said Owen.

"The lads were really spurred on by seeing such wonderful support from the fans at Liverpool.

"It is important that we press on now in our league campaign.

“We have not written off our chances of climbing up to the top six.

"We know that we won't get the same crowd we got at Anfield, but we want to keep hold of many of those who enjoyed the experience.

"We always seem to do well against Huddersfield and they tend to be good games. Let's hope we come away with the points."

Athletic could have Reuben Reid providing back-up firepower at Huddersfield.

The 23-year-old striker, out for three months with a torn thigh muscle, made a short comeback for the reserves yesterday at Accrington.

Reid played for the final 18 minutes of a 3-0 defeat in a Lancashire Senior Cup, quarter-final tie.

Accrington took the lead when a poor James Tarkowski header let in Ian Craney, who lobbed past Dean Bouzanis.

Danny Coid made it 2-0 after 17 minutes with a superb long-range strike and Craney added a third on the half-hour with a powerful 25-yard effort.

Paul Black was forced off in the first half after taking a knock to his shin.

Filipe Morais was replaced by Connor Hughes just after the hour and Reid came on for Matt Smith.

Athletic: Bouzanis; Winchester, Carr, Tarkowski, Black (Parkes); Millar, Mellor, Bembo, Morais (Hughes); Brooke, Smith (Reid). Subs not used: Connor, Burns.

BARNET claimed a 1-1 draw from the home leg of their Johnstone's Paint Trophy southern area final against Swindon.

The second leg at the County Ground takes place on Tuesday, February 7, with the winners playing Athletic or Chesterfield in the Wembley final on Sunday, March 25.