Croft delighted to return to the fray

Photo: Alan Howarth

Fleetwood 1 Oldham Athletic 1 Lee Croft

AFTER his first start for Athletic in half a year, Lee Croft felt right at home in his new central role at Fleetwood.

After putting in a solid job as support for lone striker Curtis Main, the 30-year-old is now aiming to help John Sheridan’s side to get beyond the 50-point mark which could stave off relegation fears.

Croft was taken off in the 89th minute at the Highbury Stadium to hand Dominic Poleon a late run-out.

But with Carl Winchester still struggling with a swollen knee and Mike Jones a doubt with a rib injury, the experienced midfielder will want to build on his efforts at Saturday in order to gain a welcome positive result at Roots Hall tonight (7.45pm kick-off).

GAFFER

“It has been a very long time,” said Croft, who had up to the weekend been only a bit-part player under Sheridan.

“The gaffer mentioned it on Thursday and then when we did the team shape I was in there, so I was made up and looking forward to the game.

“There was also the fact that I wanted to do well having not played for so long.

“You then worry about how long you will last in terms of fitness. We have had a few reserve games but nothing like first-team games.

“But it went well.

“The most important thing now is to come out of games with points, whether it is one or three.

“We would like to play attractive football as much as we can, but we need to come away with something.

“Fifty-one points seems to be the consensus as to what we need. But we just have to concentrate on getting as many as we can between now and the end of the season.”

Sheridan stated recently that he will not be joining in the celebrations if Athletic do manage to remain in League One.

His standards are set higher than that and Croft, in his third spell at SportsDirect.com Park and with an option in his deal to stay on for next term, says there is a recognition that the players are to blame for getting into relegation trouble.

“I don’t think the lads would celebrate staying up, though it would be an achievement given where we found ourselves earlier on in the season, in the bottom-four,” he added.

“If we do stay up, it would be credit to the lads for keeping us in the division, but at the same time it was us who put us there in the first place.

“It is a case of stepping up and as the gaffer has said, kick on next year and have a right good go at it and not be in the same position again.”

Athletic follow up their long midweek trip with a home clash against relegated Crewe, and Croft says that a run of one loss in the last six means confidence is not in short supply.

“Southend is another big game and if we can get something, then great,” he said. “After that, we are back at home again on Saturday. We take each one as it comes.

“It is good that the lads are in form at the moment and feeling good about themselves. We can go into this game as we have in the last month or so, with confidence.”