Taylor hint

Dan Taylor: starting place

UPBEAT manager Paul Dickov indicated striker Dan Taylor may get a chance to feature from the start at Notts County tomorrow.

A late lapse cost Athletic a point at Coventry and extended the recent poor run to six defeats from the last seven league games.

With Keith Curle’s men lying in wait at Meadow Lane, the search for more goals may see 19-year-old Taylor — impressive off the bench with scorer Matt Smith — in the side from the kick-off.

Given the way Athletic ended the game at the Ricoh Arena - on top but sucker-punched by James Bailey’s injury-time winner - the big impact made both by the former Newcastle prospect and 17-year-old winger Chris Sutherland may lead to a shake-up.

“Dan came on and ran like we asked him to do,” said Dickov, whose squad has been stretched to the limit by the injury to Cristian Montano, a suspension for James Wesolowski and the unavailability of captain Dean Furman, with no new loan players.

“I said to the boys that I feel for them — but one thing we can’t do now is feel sorry for ourselves.”

David Mellor got his first start of the season at Coventry and he may keep his place tomorrow for the game against the Magpies, who drew 1-1 at home with Sheffield United on Saturday.

“I have said all along that if the younger ones are going to show me in training and reserve-team games that they really, really want it, I will put them in,” said Dickov. “We knew he would tire a bit but he did a good job.”

Defender Cliff Byrne felt Athletic paid the price for not slotting away their chances during the game.

“We felt that with four or five minutes to go we were the only ones going to win it,” said the centre-back. We had our chances and their goalkeeper made decent saves. We have to stick one or two of them away.”