Kelly’s dismay at tame show

BRIGHT SPOT . . . George Edmundson (with ball) made an encouraging debut in an otherwise disappointing Athletic performance against Shrewsbury last night.

DARREN Kelly was unhappy with the way his side failed to rise to the challenge at Shrewsbury last night.

Two unanswered goals from Liam McAlinden and Tyrone Barnett left Athletic nursing a second successive first-round cup exit. But the manner of defeat was as dispiriting as the loss itself, leaving the manager to conclude his side didn’t do enough.

“It was a disappointing performance,” Kelly said. “There were lapses in conceding two very soft goals.

“We didn’t get near them. It is one of those where we have to dust ourselves off and get ourselves ready for Saturday.”

One bright note was the effort of 18-year-old centre-back George Edmundson. On his debut, standing in for Jonathan Burn, aside from a couple of slightly shaky moments he impressed in winning challenges alongside captain James Wilson.

But a side that also featured first-timers from the start George Green and Mark Yeates collectively fared poorly.

“George was excellent,” Kelly added. “We made quite a few changes and had a couple of niggling injuries. It was a good opportunity for players who maybe hadn’t played so much to stake a claim for a place. In the final third we tried to be productive as we had been at Bury. But we just didn’t cut it.”

On a deadline day that saw no players leave and one arrive, new loan signing Eoghan O’Connell watched after not being registered in time to play.

The 20-year-old Celtic centre back will be with Athletic until January 1. His arrival bolsters a back line that last week lost Gavin Gunning — linked with a move to Kilmarnock — and he comes straight into contention for Saturday's home clash with Bradford.

Efforts to ship out fringe players on loan failed yesterday. Athletic were willing to let Dominic Poleon and Rhys Murphy leave on loan provided the club picked up a portion of their wages, but moves didn’t materialise.

Murphy played last night as a substitute, but Poleon is completely out of favour at the moment.