Feeney loss is such a shame

TEAM PLAYER . . . Warren Feeney’s unselfish work up front has brought other Athletic players into the game.

Latics’ assistant manager writes every week for Chron Sport
WE are viewing the 1-1 draw at Walsall as two points dropped rather than a point gained.

When you are leading a game 1-0 and end up drawing, it is the only way to treat it.

The only consolation is that Darryl Westlake’s equaliser was a sweet hit which flew in, and there is nothing anyone on our team could have done about it.

We had defenders closing him down and the goalkeeper certainly could not have been expected to reach it.

So it is a comfort that we did not concede any silly goals. Sometimes, with a hit like Westlake’s, you just have to hold your hands up.

We could actually have given away several sloppy goals in the first half at the Banks’s Stadium because we did not defend well.

Far from being jubilant at the interval after taking the lead, we had a lot of problems to sort out.

And to be fair to the lads, they all did what we asked of them in the second half, especially the two centre-backs.

Up next is tomorrow’s trip to Carlisle, who are a good team, especially at home.

They represent a difficult challenge and we will have to be on our game from the start.

The important thing is to be prepared. We have done our homework on Carlisle, and know what to expect all over the pitch.

Meanwhile, it is a big blow losing Warren Feeney to injury again after he had just started to establish himself in the starting line-up.

The ankle knock he sustained during the win over Brentford at Boundary Park was the latest in a long line of ailments with which Warren has had to deal this term.

It is such a shame because we had a solid shape upon his return to the side. He held the ball up well and managed to bring team-mates into the game.

Injury has been the story of his season so far.

Warren has been called up to the Northern Ireland squad for the match against Scotland at the start of next month, but there is no guarantee he will be fit in time.

And while that it is a disappointment for him, Warren’s priority is making an impact at this football club. Hopefully, he can get a run of matches without picking up niggles along the way.