Penney takes the positives

DAVE PENNEY conceded Athletic “weren’t at the races” as they were held at home by Yeovil, admitting they were probably still suffering from the energy expended against MK Dons in midweek.

The Athletic manager still thought his side ought to have recorded a fourth successive victory in Coca-Cola League One.

Penney explained: “We had four or five really good chances. We got in really good positions only to pick the wrong option.

“When you don’t play well, but have as many chances as we did, that is encouraging.

“If Keigan Parker and Chris Taylor had taken their chances and we had gone in 2-0 ahead at half time it would have been a different story.

“If we had taken one of the chances and we had won a scrappy 1-0 everybody would have been happy.”

He added everybody expected Athletic to play ‘champagne’ football as they did against MK Dons, but Yeovil were never going to allow them to do that.

Penney continued: “It is a game which two or three weeks ago we might have lost to a mistake or wonder goal.

“It is important to dig out results and take something from every game so it is pleasing to get a point.

“If it had been the other way round, a point against MK Dons and a win against Yeovil, then everybody would have been shouting from the roof tops.

“We put a lot of energy into Tuesday night’s performance, and I think that showed against Yeovil.”

Penney added that on a positive note they kept a third clean sheet in four games and extended their unbeaten run to four matches.

“You have to be happy with 10 points from a possible 12. It continues the unbeaten run and we have to kick on,” he said.

The Athletic manager added Yeovil have had to be given credit for the way in which they played.

Midfield man Dean Furman is delighted by Athletic’s progress in recent weeks, though he thought Athletic were below par against Yeovil.

He explained: “We have raised expectations and we are disappointed only to have come away with a point.

“It has been a good week and if you have told us we would pick up four points we would have taken it.”

Yeovil manager Terry Skiverton thought his team deserved their draw.

“I am very pleased with how we did. Oldham are on a great run of form, but we played some good good football and I always thought we were comfortable,” he said.

Skiverton gave a special mention to former Athletic defender Terrell Forbes, describing his display as “outstanding” and saying he has returned this season a much better player.