Fit and Raring to go

LEE Croft whips in a cross against Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup.

LEE Croft believes Athletic are in prime condition to hit the ground running when the npower League One season gets under way at MK Dons on Saturday.

The winger denies the charge that the team ran out of steam during the 4-2 loss on Monday night.

For on-loan Croft, the task Athletic face is to add grit to the silky football on show in the opening half at Boundary Park, against one of the prime movers in the division.

“I felt fit,” said the 27-year-old, the Chronicle’s star man on the night. “I don’t believe it was a fitness thing in the second half, more that Sheffield Wednesday came bursting out of the blocks.

“Their first goal gave them a lift and possibly deflated us a little bit.

“But physically and football-wise, we are fit, ready and eager for the MK Dons game to come around as quickly a possible.

“We just go into it looking to do what we know we can. We’ll do our homework and the gaffer will tell us how he wants us to play. We don’t fear anyone. If we play like we have shown we can, we believe we can beat any side in our league.

While Croft impressed on the right side of midfield, manager Paul Dickov is still looking for a counterpart on the opposite flank.

Athletic’s manager will have been given a nudge by the goal-scoring performance of a triallist wide man who weaved his way through to net for the reserves in a 2-1 loss to Newcastle United in a friendly yesterday afternoon.








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