Sheridan targets ‘massive’ period

JOHN SHERIDAN . . . “great response” against Blackpool.

ATHLETIC need to keep the home fires burning in a crucial period in the fight against relegation.

A spirited second-half show helped see off Blackpool this week, with Matt Palmer netting the only goal of the game to lift the club to fourth-bottom in Sky Bet League One.

That victory represented a second win in the last three home games — after only one league win in the previous 14 matches at SportsDirect.com Park this season.

Rochdale’s visit on Saturday is the first in a sequence of four home matches in the next five, which also includes visits of Chesterfield, Swindon and Walsall.

Manager John Sheridan is keen his side builds on a performance that made up for a disappointing show at Sheffield United.

“I know we can be a lot better and that’s why I was frustrated at half-time in the Blackpool game,” said Sheridan. “I was very disappointed at Sheffield United as I really fancied us there.

“On our day, if we are on our game then we can beat anyone here. And it is a massive period coming up for us. We have another tough game on Saturday against Rochdale, after gaining an advantage on Blackpool.”

One player to impress against Blackpool was Curtis Main. The on-loan Doncaster striker has done everything but find the net in his seven games with Athletic so far, and Sheridan is a fan of Main and forward Aaron Amadi-Holloway’s workrate.

“I know Main will give me 120 per cent. His work ethic is brilliant,” Sheridan said. “He tries to do a job, but I am sure Curtis would like one or two goals. “He had a great strike against Sheffield United and his performance in the second half against Blackpool was very good, as was Aaron’s.”