Sports Editor Tony Bugby brings us the latest from Oldham Athletic FC.
YOU WOULD have thought that Oldham Athletic might have done the hard work by gaining a goalless draw in their Emirates FA Cup, first-round tie at Mansfield Town last Saturday.
The replay at SportsDirect.com Park on Tuesday, November 17, however, might not be the formality it might at first glance appear.
Latics have a far superior away record than at home while it is the reverse for Mansfield as the Stags have done much better on the road.
Mansfield have won five times on their league travels while recording only two victories on their home patch.
Latics, meanwhile, are unbeaten on their travels, but have lost four times and won only one of eight home games.
It has the makings of a fascinating replay, but one that is of huge importance for cash-strapped Latics.
They desperately need a lucrative run to bring in badly-needed revenue as building the new North Stand has drained resources.
Two years ago they defeated Mansfield in a second-round replay to earn a plum tie at Liverpool. Indeed, the cup has been kind to Latics as in the last four seasons they have had those three memorable games against Liverpool – how uncanny to draw them three years in a row – and also play Everton when they won through to the fifth round.
Hopefully a good cup run will also lift the team, club and the town in what looks like being another challenging season.
More than one third of the way into the season and Latics are hovering just above the relegation places – one point and two places. And for the last home game the crowd against high-flying Burnley was a mere 3,795.
They have drawn 10 of their 16 league matches which underlines they are not a million miles away. But those 20 points equate to almost seven defeats demonstrating drawing games is costly.
New manager David Dunn is working tirelessly, but loan signings and players on short-term contracts is hardly the recipe for stability.
He has, however, unearthed a couple of gems in Burnley full backs Cameron Dummigan and Daniel Lafferty, though the latter has returned to Turf Moor injured.
There has been a further two recent arrivals, former Stoke City central defender Theo Vassell and young Milton Keynes Dons midfielder Giorgio Rasulo who is on loan.
It has been great to see Boundary Park become a four-sided ground for the first time since 2008 with fans finally allowed into the North Stand for the last two home games.
There is still much to be done inside the structure which is why it is so important to bring in cash to enable it to be speedily completed.
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