Latics are on the rise

Stephen Robinson

ATHLETIC can continue to rise up the table now that the players know what their colleagues are capable of.

That is the message put out by manager Stephen Robinson, as he hunts down a third away-day win in succession at Bolton.

The 2-1 victory at Gillingham, gained despite being a goal down at half-time, was evidence of a side capable of overcoming adversity to triumph.

As the clock ticked down at Priestfield, midfield man Ousmane Fane was driving the team forward in search of a match-winning goal.

It came in the 89th minute thanks to Ryan Flynn netting his second of the season.

Former Sheffield United man Flynn has been increasingly prominent in recent games and after winning at Fleetwood and Gillingham, Robinson says it was inevitably going to take some time for everyone to settle in.

"It was always going to take a while," said Athletic's manager. "None of these boys have ever played with Ryan Flynn before and it does take time.

"We are now finding that you give Ryan balls in little areas, he will protect it.

"If Ousmane Fane gets on the ball, he isn't going to play 30 or 40-yard passes. He keeps play ticking over and he does it brilliantly.

"People are starting to realise each other's games now. But it is a start. It is two wins.

"We haven't been far away in any games bar the two at home which we held our hands up for and took the rightful criticism.

"The boys responded magnificently.

"There are people around the club - everyone, including the ground staff and people in the office - work their socks off every hour of the day to try to turn the club around so we dedicate that win to them."

Like Athletic, Phil Parkinson's Bolton enter Saturday's game on the back of successive victories.

Wanderers beat Blackpool 1-0 at the Macron Stadium in the Checkatrade Trophy last week and followed that up with a victory by the same score in the league at Swindon.

Robinson says he is relishing the chance to go up against arguably the division's biggest club on their own turf.

"It's what you are in football for," he added. "Bolton have a great stadium and big names.

"If we replicate what we did at Gillingham in terms of work ethic and quality, then I don't think we have anything to fear."

Ryan McLaughlin and Cameron Dummigan both played the full 90 minutes as Northern Ireland were beaten 3-0 at home by France in their final European Under-21 Championship qualifier.

Both players will be back in contention for the derby at the weekend, for which Athletic's fans have snapped up nearly 1,000 tickets so far.

ATHLETIC are putting on a special ticket promotion that allows fans to watch the Bristol Rovers game for FREE when buying a ticket for Scunthorpe on Tuesday, October 18.

See tomorrow's Chronicle for full details.