Time is on Latics' side, insists loan front man

BILLY Mckay celebrates his goal against Fleetwood in the Checkatrade Trophy - but he has yet to score in the league for Athletic

BILLY Mckay admits that Athletic's campaign to date has not gone to plan either personally or from the team's perspective, but he fully believes there is plenty of time still to turn fortunes around.

The on-loan Wigan striker has gone close on many occasions - most recently, with a header in the second half of the Rochdale loss - but is still seeking a first Sky Bet League One goal for his new club.

Back to knock-out action against Doncaster on Saturday, Mckay is in line to start and will want to replicate the form that has seen him net goals in Checkatrade Trophy games against Carlisle and Fleetwood in order to help drive Athletic into the second-round draw of the FA Cup.

'SEASON'

"I have hit the post and bar, but obviously the season for me and for the club has not gone how I wanted it to," said Mckay, who scored 13 times last term while on loan at Dundee United.

"But there is still time to turn it around. I am working hard on the training pitch, as is everyone.

"As a squad, we firmly believe we can turn it round and push on.

"There is no great secret to it. You just have to make sure you work really hard in training.

"Listen to the manager and put his ideas onto the pitch. Do that and we can move up in the table.

"We beat Scunthorpe, who were top of the league. If we can replicate that performance and ones like Charlton away and teams like that hen we can definitely do something this season.

"I would have liked to score more goals. But that hasn't happened at the moment.

"I just have to keep working hard. I know in myself I can score goals and that if I keep on working, it will come."

Mckay feels that the chance he missed at Spotland was a turning point - "had we got a goal, then I think we could have gone on and won it," he said - and his belief is that those fine margins are not quite working for Athletic at the moment.

Still, there is no room for too much cursing of ill-fortune.

'BIG GAME'

For Mckay, it's firmly about looking forward and putting things right, starting with the League Two club's visit on Saturday.

"It's a big game, but one we are looking forward to," he added.

"We have to make sure we are really up for it. It is games like that you don't want to be losing in front of your home fans.

"After last week, we want to try to put things right.

"We believe in the manager, as he believes in us. He is the one who has brought us all to the club, so we are working hard for him and maybe we owe him a result as well on Saturday."