Hand it to Rachubka

Paul Rachubka

PAUL Rachubka is in line to step back into the side as Athletic’s number one against Crewe.

Out of the team since in a 1-1 draw at Sheffield United on November 22, the 33-year-old has had a watching brief from the bench lately.

First he was replaced by Neil Etheridge — who has since moved on to Charlton — in a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie against Preston.

Then veteran Paddy Kenny was brought in on loan, playing in the last four matches.

But both replacements have been disastrous. Etheridge made a crucial error which allowed North End to equalise, before blazing over with the crucial sudden-death penalty in the shoot-out that followed.

And though Bolton ’keeper Kenny kept a clean sheet on debut at Rochdale, and has made few out-and-out errors since, he has picked the ball out of his own net a dozen times in the last three outings.

A sore groin picked up late in the game at Stadium mk has seen the 36-year-old former Sheffield United, Leeds and QPR stopper return to Bolton for treatment.

That means a return for Rachubka, whose presence behind the back four will hopefully have a calming effect after the madcap defensive antics of the past two games.

“Paddy Kenny is being assessed by his parent club on his injury,” manager Lee Johnson confirmed. “Until Bolton assess it properly, we won’t know whether he will be available for Barnsley.”

At this stage, though, with Kenny’s deal up after the Oakwell fixture, his inglorious and brief Athletic career seems likely to be over.

Johnson has a host of other selection posers. Defence is his chief concern, with Joseph Mills nursing a sore ankle, while Liam Kelly misses out again with his torn hamstring.

Athletic’s captain also appears likely to miss the Barnsley game on Monday (7.45pm kick-off) and the boss may opt to bring in a face from the bench to freshen things up.

“Michael Tidser has been unlucky not to get more game time, there is Carl Winchester and James Dayton has been patiently waiting,” Johnson said.

Striker Jordan Bove, meanwhile, is set for a loan move to non-league Colwyn Bay to join fellow Athletic team-mate Jack Truelove.

In a positive frame of mind as he tackled questions in the pre-match press conference, Johnson believes his men can put recent disappointments firmly behind them on Boxing Day.

“It will be a tough game for us, not because it’s Crewe, but because we need to mentally get the cobwebs out,” he added.

“Do I believe we can win this game? One-hundred-per-cent I believe we can win this game.

“Do I believe in the players? Ninety-five-per-cent of them, yes.

“Maybe a couple have lost their way with me, but it’s up to them to earn it back.”

Athletic (probable, 4-1-2-1-2): Rachubka; Kusunga, J Wilson, Dieng, B Wilson; Tidser; Winchester, Jones; Philliskirk; Ibehre, Forte. Subs (from): Coleman, Elokobi, Mellor, Johnson, Dayton, Morgan-Smith, Poleon, Turner.