Waiting game

Rhys Murphy . . . the forward could be heading back to Crawley permanently.

ATHLETIC’S urgent need for a new centre back may not be fulfilled until after the vital game against Colchester.

Manager David Dunn wants to bring in a commanding figure at the back after seeing his side cave in the first 45 minutes to a physical Doncaster attack led by two-goal target man Andy Williams.

With James Wilson replaced at half time, cash-strapped Athletic — without a clean sheet or a win at home in the league since the opening home game of the season — are likely to go with a pairing of Brian Wilson and Timothee Dieng for the Us fixture. The duo managed to keep things tighter in the second half of the Rovers defeat.

The transfer window opens again on Friday and though he has nothing to spend until players leave, Dunn refused to use the restriction of the playing budget as an excuse.

“We need a real dominating man at the back, that organises and demands the resilience we need from those around him,” Dunn said. “But we aren’t the only ones looking for that. The issue we will have is, everyone wants a player like that.

“We have got to be more resilient in both boxes. We are creating chances, but I want us to just anticipate a bit more and be more solid at the back.

“For large parts of the Doncaster game I felt comfortable. But in the first half every time a cross came into our box, I thought Andy Williams would get on the end of most headers, which was worrying.”

Reports are circulating that Burnley is primed to make a bid for Brentford’s former Athletic centre-back James Tarkowski. Athletic retain an interest in the player through a sell-on clause and would benefit heavily from a move from the Clarets for a player rated as a £4million-plus prospect at the start of the season.

Dunn said he knew nothing of a reportedly rejected £75,000 offer from Blackpool for Danny Philliskirk, but there is also the prospect of an imminent bid from Crawley for Rhys Murphy.

The forward scored for Athletic against Doncaster but, after a successful loan, the League Two club is thought to be mulling over a cash offer for a player who now has 11 goals in his last 18 appearances.

“Rhys scored and his performance was okay, so we go again,” said Dunn, who welcomes back loan midfielder Richie Wellens to the mix this weekend.

The Colchester game is the last of Wellens’ emergency loan.