Clarke-Harris fits the bill

ON THE RUN: Jonson Clarke-Harris (right) takes on Port Vale’s defence.

AS ATHLETIC brace for life without Jose Baxter, a forward of a very different profile is making waves at Boundary Park.

Jonson Clarke-Harris could not be described as a player of delicate means. The 19 year old from Leicester is far more steel than silk in his approach.

Manager Lee Johnson sees plenty of promise in a forward who was plucked from parks football by Coventry before being thrown into the first-team shortly after his 16th birthday.

There remain rough edges to be smoothed off. But Clarke-Harris showed in stepping into Baxter’s shoes against Port Vale that he has enough power and pace, not to mention a deceptively useful first touch, to cause problems for even the most uncompromising defences.

“He is a character,” said Johnson. “He is not easy to handle and to manage. But the boy has some great qualities about him. I hope we can help channel him the right way and then he can be anything that he wants.

Clarke-Harris is set to keep his place up front against Tranmere tomorrow with last week’s two-goal hero Adam Rooney, as Athletic plot to find only a second win against Rovers in six encounters.

Athletic’s boss watched Rovers in Capital One Cup action as they knocked Bolton out on penalties and warned that despite a poor start in the league, bad luck has played a part in their lowly 22nd place.

“I was at the game in midweek and they did very well. They have got their belief back and they beat a very good Bolton side fair and square.”

Tranmere won’t have ex-Barnsley centre-back Stephen Foster tomorrow. His contract was cancelled after only two months at Prenton Park.



TRANMERE shipped five goals against Peterborough in League One last Saturday, but don’t expect a repeat at Boundary Park tomorrow, writes Chronicle betting pundit KEITH McHUGH.
Former Latics boss Ronnie Moore will be back at his old stamping ground and will be determined to put one over on Athletic.

I expect Rovers to ‘park the bus’ so a quote of 4-5 for two goals or less seems fair.

Athletic are evens to win, with a draw at 5-2 (Tranmere 11-4).

Now Adam Rooney has struck scoring form, the Latics forward represents value at 11-2 to hit the first goal of the game.