Meet fire with fire, says Dickov

TOUGH COOKIE: Carl Winchester is “a lot harder than people think.”

ATHLETIC embark on a run of seven consecutive midweek matches with what is expected to be a stiff physical test tonight, as Colchester United visit Boundary Park (7.45pm kick-off).

Paul Dickov's men bore the wounds of a real battering earlier this term, as the U's claimed a 4-1 win at the Weston Homes Community Stadium in August.

Only six men who started that day are expected to reprise their roles in a line-up revamped by Dickov.

And though two of that number are teenagers David Mellor and Carl Winchester, Dickov is backing his fledgling professionals to stand up to the test.

"Colchester are a strong, powerful team who work their socks off," said the Athletic manager, on the hunt for a third npower League One victory in four games against an Essex side who sit 12th in the table.

"As well as being good with the ball, we have to make sure we match them physically as well.

"We need a similarly disciplined performance to what we had on Saturday (against Tranmere).

"If you look at James Tarkowski and David Mellor physically, with their build they are strong boys.

"People may look at Carl Winchester and think he looks like a young boy.

“But he is a lot harder than people think.

"Training-wise, we have rejigged things and have got a lot more into them (Mellor and Winchester) over the past few weeks.

“They have come through feeling goodphysically after Tranmere.

"It is a big boys' game. If they want to play and I am going to put them in the team, then they have to stand up to it — especially in League One."

Not currently fully-fit, defender Zander Diamond and striker Reuben Reid are likely to take up places on the bench tonight, but Dickov knows he is likely to have to stretch his slight squad as far as he can in order to fulfil the demands of a tough fixtures schedule.

“We have nine games in March alone and the biggest thing now is looking after the players,” he added.

“You take Connor Hughes and Matty Carr out of the equation and we have got 16 fit players.

“So we are going to have to look after them and make sure they recover properly between games.

“Apart from the three points and the clean sheet, another plus from Saturday was that we didn’t pick up any more injuries.”

Despite the scarcity of playing resources while Dean Furman (knee), James Wesolowski (shoulder), Paul Black (hamstring), Kirk Millar (ankle) and Bradley Diallo (hamstring) occupy the treatment room, blooding youth is a more likely route for Dickov than bringing new players in on emergency loans.

“We are looking, but it is going to be hard to get people in,” Dickov said. “That is, both financially and in terms of other clubs letting players go.

“We are always looking and always asking. But what you often find is, with both younger and more experienced players, they are on a fair wedge of money — money we can't afford.”