Crossley happy with performance

Last updated : 17 September 2008 By Dave Moore
Latics keeper Mark Crossley is delighted with the way the team have begun the season and confessed that a clean sheet gives him the same feeling as the outfield players get after scoring a goal. 'Norm' has racked up an amazing five shut-outs already this season so he has a right to feel pleased.

The latest came last Saturday and he also saved Mark Wright's penalty to condemn Franchise FC to defeat. He admitted to the official website, "I'm pleased with the clean sheet more than anything. That's four in six games and for me earning clean sheets is like scoring goals for the lads at the other end. We played a good team in MK Dons and they won't be far away at the end of the season, believe me. The penalty save is what I'm there to do - it's what I get paid for. Their lad didn't strike it brilliantly but it's still there to be kept out."

"They had a few good chances, such as Wilbraham's header in the second half which I thought was going wide at first. Fortunately it didn't have very much power behind it and I managed to get across to the corner. Sam Baldock had a great chance to make it 1-1 with a header that went just wide, and the lads at the back were fuming because we should really have had the game sewn up by then."

"We need to learn to kill games off when we're 1-0 in front because we didn't do that until Mark scored right at the end. We're doing well. I keep hearing the manager saying we must keep our feet on the ground, and we will do that. But you can't take away the fact that we're playing well as a solid unit. Our fitness levels came through again on Saturday as we finished really strongly, and that's pleasing."