Law makes case for looking up

LAW: competition at right-back

ATHLETIC'S in-favour right-back Josh Law is delighted to have pushed his way to the front of the queue in the most competitive spot in the team.

And the dependable defender has stressed that while manager Stephen Robinson has gone back to first principles of late, there is still plenty of time to emulate the likes of Rochdale and Southend and shoot up the table.

Law (27), who is in his first season in the EFL having dropped into non-league with Alfreton before moving to Motherwell, has been preferred to Cameron Dummigan in Robinson's post-FA Cup re-shuffle.

Seen as a less dynamic but safer option to the young Northern Ireland prospect, Law has done his bit to help earn a point at Oxford and this week, a 3-1 victory at Walsall in the Checkatrade Trophy.

"I had been in and out for a while and it has been good to get games under my belt. Hopefully, I can try to get a few more as well," said Law, who has made 14 starts for Athletic this season and two substitute appearances, netting twice.

"There are about four players who can play at right-back - me, Cameron Dummigan, Brian Wilson and Kallum Mantack, who is out on loan at Alfreton.

'IMPROVE'
"There is a lot of competition back there, which isn't always the case at right-back. But it keeps you on your toes and makes you want to improve."

Law was one of Robinson's first signings in the manic shopping spree of the summer and he still feels that, with Christmas yet to arrive, it is too early to regard the squad as having settled in completely.

"It was a whole new squad and I think people forget that sometimes," Law said. "We are six months in now and I know we keep saying it, but if we get back-to-back wins behind us that can give us that bit of confidence.

"It is a good squad in general, but we are still getting to know each other, even at this stage.

"The form wasn't too bad up until the FA Cup game. An awful result there was followed by a bit of uproar, which there was always going to be. There deserved to be as well.

"I still think a couple of wins can get us on our way and we can climb the table.

"If you look back towards the start of the season, Rochdale were rock-bottom. They have gone on a run and they are up there now and Southend also got themselves out of trouble.

"Get those successive wins, get the confidence back and we can go from there."