Playing for keeps

Mark Oxley

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MARK Oxley will get his place back for tonight’s FA Cup replay at Wolves — but manager Lee Johnson has warned it would be unwise for the current first-choice goalkeeper to rest on his laurels.

Oxley (23) is an ever-present in Sky Bet League One, only making way for the more experienced Paul Rachubka in the past two rounds of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

The on-loan Hill City man, rated highly at the KC Stadium to the extent that he signed a fresh two-year deal in the summer, has had a mixed campaign but remains the prime candidate for Johnson — for the time being, at least.

Ultimately, Athletic’s manager said he wants his two goalkeepers to continue “slug it out” for the right to start in first-team matches.

“He (Oxley) has performed okay. He still has a lot to learn,” said Johnson, who enlisted Bobby Mimms as goalkeeping coach and who knew of Oxley as a young pup coming through the ranks at Rotherham.

“He is a good lad who is really working his socks off for us and is training well.

“What comes with time, being a young goalkeeper, is decision-making in games. It has generally been good.

“He can get better, but he has done well enough for us to keep in the team.”

Rachubka’s record in the first-team is almost impeccable — the former Manchester United trainee (32) has only conceded one goal in two matches — but a look back at DVD footage of the strikes Oxley has let in this term has convinced Johnson that very few have been down to his errors.

“Paul has done really well since he has been here,” Johnson added. “He has played in both the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy games while he has been here and I see it as having two number ones.

“‘Ox’ is more athletic and will pull out more ridiculous saves, if you like, whereas ‘Chubs’ is a safe pair of hands and you feel he will be consistent.

“Ox has been unlucky with a couple. I watched all the goals we have conceded on Sunday night looking for weaknesses and some of them have been unbelievable.”

As well as Oxley returning, Athletic are forced into two changes in the rearguard for tonight’s game at Molineux: David Mellor is in line to replace ineligible Joseph Mills, with Connor Brown back after injury in place of suspended Jonathan Grounds.

Elsewhere, James Wesolowski may come back in place of Anton Rodgers, but wholesale tinkering is unlikely given the comprehensive manner of the 5-1 hammering of Notts County a week ago.