Robbo: Latics goals will come

STEPHEN ROBINSON

GOALS will flow from Athletic's strikers, manager Stephen Robinson insists, though Billy Mckay and Lee Erwin will have to wait a while for the two new wingers to provide a supply line.

Consecutive blanks in front of goal against Walsall and Northampton have left Robinson frustrated but far from downcast.

Ahead of the trip to Bury - and with no sign yet that the Premier League loan target is about to be signed off - the Athletic boss says that his primary strikers will soon hit the goals to match up with their performances.

Last season, Northern Ireland international Mckay scored 12 times in 29 games for Dundee United despite the club finishing bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

"The two strikers Billy Mckay and Lee Erwin have played very well but without the end product so far. It will come," said Robinson.

"Billy scored goals in a struggling team last season and has scored goals throughout his career.

"I am confident in both boys and have no worries about them. I totally back them.

"I do want to add another player to choose from. Another bit of competition and another bit of pace."

It seems likely that neither Ryan McLaughlin nor Calaum Jahraldo-Martin will feature at Gigg Lane in order to help provide from out wide, with both players short of full match fitness.

McLaughlin's involvement so far came in a half-hour showing against Walsall and while Jahraldo-Martin impressed in a similar stint against Northampton, he tweaked a hamstring.

"Ryan is not quite there and we had to take him out to give him a couple of weeks of fitness and the same with Calaum," Robinson added.

"They are a good month behind everyone else and we are gambling throwing them on at times, to give the injection of pace we know that they bring.

"Their aim has to be the Carlisle cup game."

That Checkatrade Trophy home fixture, which is £5 entry for adults, is on Tuesday, August 30 (7.45pm kick-off).

Before then there is the Bury test, an EFL Cup second-round tie at Preston and an away league game at Bradford to contend with.

Jamie Reckord is expected to recover from a flexor strain to return against Bury, while Robinson revealed that Athletic's set-plays against Northampton took a hit partly due to an unspecified personal concern being dealt with by Marc Klok.

"Marc had a few personal problems and we are conscious of looking after the boy as football comes second with his issue," said Robinson.

"Without Marc and Ollie Banks on the pitch our set plays weren't as good. We had a few well-worked ones we should have taken better advantage of and we will continue to be a team that threatens from set plays and we will try to be inventive as well."

Bolton maintained their 100-per-cent start to the Sky Bet League One season with a 2-1 win at Bristol Rovers last night.

Fleetwood beat visitors Oxford 2-0 in the night's other game to move up to eighth.