Banks gets stuck in!

OLLIE Banks is targeting a fourth consecutive start for Athletic at Glanford Park tomorrow

HARD work behind the scenes is paying off, in-favour Ollie Banks believes.

The elegant ball-playing midfield man has been urged to improve on the defensive side of his game by Athletic manager Stephen Robinson in order to feature more in the first team.

That is quite a departure for a player who was virtually told at his last club Chesterfield to forget about tackling.

IMPROVED

Now, ahead of what is likely to be a fourth straight start at Scunthorpe tomorrow, the 24-year-old is happy that an improved all-round game has been recognised.

"When you are not playing it is difficult and you do miss that buzz of a Saturday," said Banks. "It happens to everyone and you just keep going and hope the things you are doing on the training pitch and in the reserve games, that you think people may not notice, you hope they do.

"Before I came here I didn't really have a defensive direction. Paul Cook said to me at Chesterfield, that's not your game. . . you are not great in a tackle so do what you are good at and get on the ball.

"But since I have come here, the gaffer has focused on a different side. He says that on the ball it takes care of itself and not to worry about it, but focus on the other side. It's something I've really tried to do.

"By the looks of it he has noticed that I am getting better and that's why I'm back in the team."

COLLEAGUES

Banks and his colleagues are aiming to make it back-to-back victories over the league leaders at Glanford Park tomorrow, and while accepting that Athletic's lowly station in the table is of importance, he feels the squad is better than the current position of 22nd indicates.

"In this league, anyone can beat anyone else," Banks added. "League position matters more than anything of course, but it can be a bit false at times.

"We play some good stuff. And we are not far away from clicking and getting a good run of results together. It really isn't far away.

"The mood around the place is positive and everyone feels good. You do get bogged down though - and rightly so - with where you are in the league and not quite finishing the chances off.

"But if those chances go in, you are another 10 places higher up in the table. It is those fine margins that are costing us at the moment."

Tomorrow's fixtures in Sky Bet League One -

AFC Wimbledon v Bury; Bolton v Millwall; Bristol Rovers v MK Dons; Charlton v Port Vale; Fleetwood v Chesterfield; Northampton v Peterborough; Oxford United v Coventry; Rochdale v Swindon; Scunthorpe v ATHLETIC; Sheffield Utd v Shrewsbury; Southend v Bradford; Walsall v Gillingham.