Trophy target

ON THE SPOT: Lee Croft scores the winning penalty at Ewood Park

ATHLETIC can quickly overcome the disappointment of not being involved in the FA Cup by taking a step closer to Wembley next week.

Winger Lee Croft, who made a first start in more than three months for boss Stephen Robinson in last week's home 0-0 draw with Port Vale, has a liking for the Checkatrade Trophy this term.

He scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out that helped the club get through the group stage, before scoring the equaliser in a 3-1 win at Walsall in the competition's last 32.

Mansfield Town stand between Athletic and a place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday night.

Croft says that while the club as a whole are hugely disappointed they are not, unlike conquerors Lincoln City, gearing up for an FA Cup third-round tie at Ipswich, in being only three victories away from a Wembley final the stakes are high at Field Mill.

He also believes that a strong run in the maligned knock-out competition can assist the league form, with the next bread-and-butter fixture being at home to Gillingham on Saturday, January 14.

"It is a real shame that we are not still in the FA Cup with all that the competition entails," said Croft, who played a big part in Athletic's odyssey to the fifth round four years ago. See Page 34.

'OCCASION'
"It would have been a really good occasion at Ipswich. But that has gone now.

"We had a lot of games over Christmas, but we would still prefer to be involved in the FA Cup.

"Now, we concentrate on going to Mansfield and that's a game we can win.

"We have had good results in this competition already and though it has had criticism earlier on, we are not that far away now. To be to Wembley would be amazing.

'DISTRACTION'
"It can be a good distraction for us. Winning games breeds confidence that we can then take into the league games."

Croft felt that though Athletic could not break the deadlock against Vale last week, all it would have taken was one goal to open the floodgates.

"We played well and it has been the story that has played out a lot this season, where we haven't managed to convert that into goals," he added.

"There were a few times where I thought we were nailed-on to score. But we hit a post and their goalkeeper pulled off a couple of great saves.

"Had one goal gone in, I think we would have gone on to get two or three."

Croft's current short-term contract expires soon, but with the transfer embargo still holding, he is simply concentrating on playing.

"My contract runs out at the end of the month whereas with some others it is earlier than that," he said. "But I am just carrying on trying to get in the team."