Dunn’e delight at loan hits

Dominic Poleon celebrates with James Wilson

DAVID Dunn fielded two new full-backs in the enterprising draw at Gillingham — and he believes the loan pair from Burnley instantly gave his side a new dimension.

Right-back Cameron Dummigan and left-back Daniel Lafferty were starters at Priestfield and both impressed as Athletic gained a highly creditable point in a 3-3 draw at Gillingham, a side with a previous 100-per-cent record on home soil.

Dummigan (19) and the more experienced Lafferty (26) both signed on Friday on initial one-month loan deals from Turf Moor before the squad headed on to the team coach for the trip South.

Dummigan is a product of the youth system at Burnley, while Lafferty has made more than 40 appearances for the Championship outfit since signing from Derry City three years ago, spending part of last season on loan at Rotherham.

Both Northern Irishmen had a real impact — particularly in attack — as Dunn’s side did what he asked in terms of being far better in possession than they had been at Port Vale.

“They have come in for a month initially, but you could tell going forward Daniel Lafferty gives us a natural left-footer, which I think we have missed in previous weeks — I certainly think that,” said Dunn, who is without injured left-back Joseph Mills (ankle).

“With Cameron, I have watched him a couple of times. They are not just guesses from me. I do believe in them.

“Let’s be fair, that was Cameron’s senior debut and I thought he was magnificent both with and without the ball.

“It doesn’t surprise me as I know they are good players and the biggest job for me is to bring that confidence out in them.”

After a fourth straight draw under Dunn’s charge, an eighth in 11 league games, Athletic stay in 18th place in the Sky Bet League One table.

Next up is a home game at SportsDirect.com Park against Scunthorpe, with Dunn admitting that the excellent showing down South counts for little unless it is backed up by further good efforts in the coming weeks.

“I don’t want to get too carried away,” Dunn said. “Yes, it is a great performance to go to Gillingham and perform how we did with everyone saying good things about us.

“But it doesn’t really count unless we can consistently do it over the next few weeks and months.

“That is something to build on there. We had been solid with our performances up to then, but I felt we could be miles better in possession.

“We didn’t do that at Port Vale, but this was the total opposite.”

“When you have put in a performance like that, it will do the players the world of good.

“The confidence they should take from that game will be invaluable. They are good players and they just have to believe in themselves.”

Athletic fielded a total of five loan players at Priestfield. Seven are on the books at the moment as Simonas Stankevicius missed out, along with injured defender Eoghan O’Connell.

Scunthorpe are currently 20th in the division, after picking up a 1-0 home win over managerless Fleetwood on Saturday courtesy of Paddy Madden’s second-half goal.