‘The boys, they are making me look a bit stupid at the minute’ - Paul Dickov

IF Jose Baxter’s rasping drive had struck the inside of the post and gone in - rather than smacking it full-on and bouncing to safety - the outlook may be less gloomy today.

AS ATHLETIC stumbled towards another loss with all-too familiar failings, manager Paul Dickov branded the defending which led to Coventry’s last-gasp winner “unacceptable”.

“In the second half I felt there was only us would go on and win the game,” he said.

“For their goal, there was a little warning sign before it. We work a lot on stopping crosses but we have let their boy get the ball in once and then again minutes later where we haven’t picked up.

“They are basic mistakes again we are talking about, when we should be talking about winning the game.

“Two players haven’t stopped a cross and two in the middle have let a player get between them. It is basic, poor defending.”

As was the case at Brentford a week earlier, a bright start featuring a short passing game disappeared as long deliveries were planted forward by Athletic.

It was a failing Dickov felt he addressed to bring Baxter more into the game after the interval, only for Coventry, who picked up their first league win of the campaign, to walk away with three points.

For his part, Chadderton-raised Coventry manager Mark Robins was relieved to claim the spoils from what he felt was an uninspiring contest.

“That was one of the worst games of football I have ever seen in my life,” Robins said.

“We couldn't pass the ball, we were awful, we gave the ball away. But I’ll take the three points.”


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