Forte relishing hectic schedule

UPBEAT MOOD . . . Jonathan Forte is confident Athletic can match their Wigan counterparts.

MATCHES are exactly what Jonathan Forte feels he needs — and that’s just what he should get as Athletic enter a frantic portion of an increasingly-disrupted season.

Last season’s top scorer has felt uninhibited in terms of trademark bursts of pace following a knee operation that kept him out from early September until David Dunn’s last game in charge against Millwall.

Forte made a late cameo in that clash and after appearing again as a second-half substitute at Bradford, was handed starting berths for new boss John Sheridan’s first home game back at Athletic against Bury and in the win at Shrewsbury three nights later.

What is needed now is a run of action to get the left-footed star up to full match fitness.

“The injury is all good. I feel I am getting there and it is still only two games I have played since coming back,” said Forte, who cut a less frustrated figure than the man who was handed a red card against Bradford for violent conduct in an off the ball and out of character incident.

“I don’t think I will lose the pace I have — not until I am probably in my 40s — but it is just a case of getting match fit now.”

The difficult trip to Wigan tomorrow represents a first outing in 18 days for both Athletic and Forte, following postponements due to the FA Cup replay involvement of Peterborough and a waterlogged pitch for the home clash with Blackpool.

With a further six fixtures inside 19 days to come after the DW Stadium test, Forte (29) knows how quickly momentum can be built if positive results can be stacked up.

“It has been a rest period for us and we now have quite a lot of games coming up,” added the former Sheffield United, Scunthorpe and Southampton forward.

“I don’t mind it, as you can get through the game quickly and hopefully we can get that momentum to help us stay up.”