Strike it rich, demands Lee

TIME TO DELIVER . . . Jon Stead and the rest of the Athletic strike force have been urged to find their shooting boots by manager Lee Johnson.

ATHLETIC have the class among their existing group of forwards to lift the club’s striker hoodoo, according to manager Lee Johnson.

Only once in 2014 has an out-and-out forward found the net, when Danny Philliskirk’s thunderous drive helped earn a 1-1 draw against Bristol City at Boundary Park.

Other strikes have arrived from Jonathan Grounds, Gary Harkins and James Wesolowski — all with two each — David Worrall, Genseric Kusunga and Adam Lockwood.

With Jon Stead taking on the jersey of departed striker Adam Rooney, the manager has faith the lean spell can be lifted when Gillingham arrive tomorrow.

“It’s almost like we have a curse of the number nine shirt,” Johnson said. “It is important the strikers stand up and be counted. When chances come they have to be bold enough and brave enough to put them away — but it is very easy to say that, sitting here.”

Scoring more than a goal a game has been a problem for Athletic in recent months. Since the 2-1 win at Shrewsbury in November, the team have found the net more than once inside 90 minutes only once, when Peterborough were seen off 5-4.

Johnson remains single-minded and not particularly concerned at the form of others: “We need five wins, plus a couple of draws to be safe.”

With four out of the next five fixtures being at home, now is as good a time as any to make strides towards the fabled 50-point mark which usually guarantees safety.