Brown hoping for a starting place

THE STORY has probably been embellished — but it doesn’t stop Connor Brown enjoying telling it.

“I can remember picking him up and getting a yellow,” says the smiling right back, who was cautioned after getting up close and personal with referee Richard Clark after Genseric Kusunga’s late match-winning goal against Peterborough saw several players head into the Chaddy End to celebrate with fans.

“Apart from that, phew, I don’t know what happened. I was in the moment.

“The referee said, ‘no, Browny’ and shoved the card in my face. It’s one of those things, isn’t it?”

As the hysteria subsides, nobody — Brown included — seems entirely sure if the story of the former Sheffield United player planting a kiss on Clark is myth or reality.

One thing is certain: the 22-year-old will be paying the usual fine for being booked. Standards must be maintained, Johnson justifiably argues.

The same is true for Athletic’s performance as a whole, which will need to be at least close to the second-half Posh show if Wolves are to leave Boundary Park with nothing tonight.

Brown will pray he has done enough to earn only a ninth start of a frustrating, injury and form-hit

campaign tonight at Boundary Park.

“The second half wasn’t just about me, it was a team performance,” he said of his resurgent effort against Darren Ferguson’s side.

“I would say the man of the match was Gary Harkins. Once he turned it on, it was a totally different performance. We are on a high and we have to take that into the Wolves game now, playing like we did in the second half for a full 90 minutes.”

Manager Johnson concedes Wolves’ power: “They are one of the best sides in the division,” he said, though he has seen progressively improving results against them over the season - a 2-0 loss followed by a 1-1 FA Cup home draw and a 2-1 win at Molineux in the replay.

“They are very strong, they don’t give away too many goals, they have a threat with their strikers and good delivery from their wide men. It is one of the toughest games we will get. If we show the spirit we showed in the second half against Peterborough we can get a result.”