Oh, baby: Hats off to new-dad Danny

ROCKING . . . Danny Philliskirk celebrates his late equaliser against Coventry City PICTURE by ALAN HOWARTH.

ATHLETIC goal hero Danny Philliskirk revealed he didn’t get much sleep before getting on the team coach to Coventry.

And after being sick at half-time, the player was nearly hauled off by his manager before popping up with the added-time equaliser.

Philliskirk (24) became a father for the first time on Friday to daughter Hattie and marked the goal that earned the side a point with a baby-rocking celebration.

It was ex-Sky Blues man Philliskirk’s seventh of the season for Athletic. The draw ensured the club stays off the bottom of the table.

“I was in for quite a lot of the day with her. I went home but didn’t get to sleep until one or two o’clock in the morning and was up at seven.

“I was being sick at half-time as well — I don’t know why, maybe as I was a little bit drained. They asked me if I was all right and I have a knack of scoring here so wanted to stay on.

“I was disappointed with my performance in the first half, but thought I was much better in the second.”

Philliskirk’s header from a Mike Jones corner arrived in the third minute of added time at the Ricoh Arena and salvaged a draw Athletic deserved, ending a run of four defeats heading into two games in three days starting with the Boxing Day trip to Blackpool.

“Sometimes, it takes us to go one down in a game to get going and I don’t know why,” Philliskirk added.

“But the belief and togetherness is there and we have a good team spirit.

“We needed that bit of luck. I got the header and the goalkeeper fumbled it a bit, but we deserved it overall.”

Manager David Dunn revealed after the game that it was the last outing for Michael Higdon, whose loan runs out before the Blackpool game on Boxing Day and not after it as was thought.

Jay Fulton, who was not involved in recent FA Cup ties, has returned to parent club Swansea.