Positive outlook

Photo: Alan Howarth

JOSH JOY...Josh Law is mobbed by his team-mates after putting Athletic in front.

THE new manager 'bounce' effect is in full swing, says goal hero Josh Law.

While admitting that there was plenty of soul-searching within the dressing room after the departure of Stephen Robinson, who brought in the versatile player after working with him at Motherwell, Law (27) said that on his first day in charge of training John Sheridan did not allow spirits to sag.

Athletic may have been on a run of five games without a victory - the latest being a 2-0 loss at Mansfield, signalling the end of Robinson's six months in charge - but Sheridan immediately switched the focus to positive matters.

And, thanks to Law's well-taken 39th-minute free-kick, the new regime got off to a flyer.

SCORED

"It is obviously horrible for a manager to lose his job and the old manager brought me here, too," reflected Law, who scored one of his two other goals this season against tomorrow's opponents Shrewsbury.

"Everyone in the dressing room felt gutted for him and as though we had let him down.

"But the new manager coming in lifts everything initially. He has been here and done it before for this club, so there is a real belief in what he says to us.

"Everything was positive straight away, right from the first time he spoke to the players. He talked to us only of winning games and now we go on from Gillingham."

Law found himself playing as a central midfielder against the Gills in preference to his cousin Ollie Banks and Paul Green. He justified the selection with a goal and almost had two, with an added-time cracker striking the crossbar.

The former Alfreton man has more usually played on the right side of defence this season but admits to a liking for his new role.

"Wherever I am picked, I will try to do as good a job as I can," he added. "I'm no stranger to midfield and I have played there a lot. I enjoy it - there is a bit more licence there to get around the pitch, which I enjoy doing."

Athletic's return to Greenhous Meadow tomorrow, which is on a Saturday for the first time since 1987, maintains the theme of strong parallels from the start of Sheridan's last spell in charge.

A year ago, his first win on home soil was also against Gillingham, following on from a first away victory that arrived at Shrewsbury thanks to Carl Winchester's 23rd-minute strike in a 1-0 triumph.

That win took Athletic to 24 points from 27 matches played, five adrift of the Shrews who sat two places higher in 20th.

Tomorrow, three points for Sheridan's side will lift them above Shrewsbury on goal difference.

Sky Bet League One fixtures -

Tonight: Port Vale v Bury (7.45pm kick-off); Tomorrow: Bradford v Millwall; Charlton v Scunthorpe; Chesterfield v AFC Wimbledon; Coventry v Fleetwood; MK Dons v Northampton; Rochdale v Oxford; Sheffield United v Gillingham; Shrewsbury v ATHLETIC; Southend v Bolton; Swindon v Peterborough; Walsall v Bristol Rovers.