Sports Editor Tony Bugby brings us the latest from Oldham Athletic
IT HAS been a challenging start to the 2013/14 SkyBet League 1 campaign for Latics who find themselves in the bottom third of the table.
After the euphoria of the opening-day victory at Stevenage, it has been far from plain sailing since then as Latics have picked up only four further points from seven league matches.
And if that average of less than one point per match continues, Latics would become embroiled in yet another scrap against relegation.
It has been frustrating because Latics have not been playing badly, but they have been unable to finish off teams when on top in matches.
Preston away was the classic case when they lost 2-1 having had 62-per-cent possession, 19 goal attempts and 12 corners.
Latics have also had a nasty habit of shooting themselves in the foot which has been down to naivety and inexperience from a very young side. They have already conceded five penalties, most of which have been needlessly given away.
They have also toiled at Boundary Park where they have managed only one win from four league games and suffered losses against Walsall and Tranmere as well as being held by Crewe.
Latics have produced their best performances on their travels because they are usually afforded more space with the onus on the home team to attack.
They scored four goals at both Stevenage and Shrewsbury, the latter in the Johnstone’sPaint Trophy, and also performed admirably at Peterborough, Preston and Rotherham where they were unlucky to lose all three by a single-goal margin.
October could prove a defining month in Latics’ season as the fixtures that month comprise high-flying Leyton Orient and Wolves and Preston, mid-table Swindon and struggling Carlisle and Notts County.
The league position Latics find themselves in at the end of the month could well provide a pointer as to where they will eventually finish.
