Kelly to ring the changes

Darren Kelly: changes

ATHLETIC will field a much-changed side against Bradford City as the quest to maintain the unbeaten league run continues.

Manager Darren Kelly admitted after the poor Shrewsbury showing, in which Athletic were dumped out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, his fringe players didn’t do enough to get into the side for Saturday.

As one of only three sides in the division yet to lose this season, 10th-placed Athletic could move into the play-off places if they beat visitors Bradford on Saturday.

Joseph Mills, David Dunn and Jonathan Burn should come back into the side for that clash, with new loan Celtic defender Eoghan O’Connell also in contention.

“I always say to players that if you aren’t in the side, you have to make it a headache to pick the next team,” said Kelly. “At Shrewsbury, that wasn’t the case. We want players fighting for each position and for selection to be made difficult.

“We will have players fit for Bradford who didn’t play at Shrewsbury. Eoghan will bring quality and a presence. He is big lad so he has that as well. I’m looking forward to having him in the team.”

One player who didn’t feature at Shrewsbury is Dominic Poleon. The forward reported sick and didn’t train on Monday.

I understand he was told to train with the club’s youth team on Tuesday, but was again absent.

When asked about Poleon’s situation at Shrewsbury, manager Kelly simply stated: “Dominic hasn’t been selected.”

The out of favour forward has played 41 games for Athletic.