Barnard up for the challenge

LOAN signing Lee Barnard in the thick of the action against Walsall. The forward says some the players in the Athletic squad have “real quality”.

LEE Barnard didn’t worry for a second about joining a team as out-of-form as Athletic.

The striker marked his first appearance in the shirt with a smart first-half header at Walsall to put his new club a goal up.

At that stage it looked like Athletic might build on the unexpected victory over Liverpool — a game Barnard watched on TV.

“It didn't really enter my mind,” said Romford-born Barnard (28), when asked about the difficulties of joining a team so out of form in npower League One terms.

“I thought the Liverpool game would give us a boost and for most of the first half against Walsall, it showed. There are some great players in this team who have real quality. We need to keep plugging away.

Starting tonight without former manager Paul Dickov, Barnard knows Athletic must arrest an awful run of form against Yeovil (Boundary Park, 7.45pm).

“We’re hurting after losing 3-1, but there’s another game tonight and we are determined to put it right.”

Despite setting off well, Barnard agreed Athletic fell apart on Saturday: “We got off to a great start and for half an hour looked very good,” he said. “Our performance went downhill from there and we were very disappointed with it.”

The deadline-day capture will stay with Athletic until the end of the season. The Saints man hopes he can build a useful relationship within the team’s new-look forward line.

“If I’m getting chances I’m happy — and hopefully I can put a few more away,” he said.