Dunn to shore-up leaky Latics defence

James Wilson, one of only three recognised centre-backs at SportsDirect.com Park.

ATHLETIC manager David Dunn could turn to defensive reinforcements as he tries to stiffen up the club’s back line.

The visit of Sheffield United to Oldham on Saturday sees Athletic having kept only two clean sheets all season, one at home to Fleetwood, who missed a host of chances in front of goal.

While he has got the team scoring again - with five in the last two games - Dunn is aware of the need to operate from a solid base.

Alongside vice-captain James Wilson, Athletic currently have only Jonathan Burn and Timothee Dieng at centre-back, with Eoghan O’Connell out injured. In hoping to bring in well-travelled forward Ricardo Fuller, Dunn knows the value of an experienced, dominant defensive figure.

“We need a few more characters in the squad,” Dunn said this week. “I heard the Jamie Peacock and Kevin Sinfield interviews after the Super League Grand Final. They didn’t say anything about technique or ability; they talked about character, leadership and commitment to each other, and that is what we need to get in our club too.

“We felt we tightened it up after the 5-1 defeat against Peterborough and tried to create more chances, which we did at Gillingham. Most goals we are conceding are by individual errors, which is disappointing. We work on it every day in training and we hope it will get better.”

After the home defeat by Scunthorpe, Dunn is set to make changes to his starting line-up and will be boosted by the return of a trio of loan players, Jay Fulton, Cameron Dummigan and Simonas Stankevicius from international duty.