Oldham boss Lee Johnson spoke to his club's official website ahead of his side's League One game against Carlisle at Brunton Park tomorrow afternoon, Johnson saying the Latics have to stay lively and focused until the end of the season:
“I think we have got three good games to end the season with, two home games, actually very important games. Of course Carlisle are fighting for their lives and so are Notts County so we have got a massive part to play in our own season and everybody else’s, and we have got to make sure we stay lively and focused for those two big games.
“I think we are going to need a point but we would be very, very unlucky if we did go down on 51 points, but it is still a possibility. So, we must continue our run, the boys genuinely want to continue their run and we will go to Carlisle and be right up for what is undoubtedly going to be a big battle. Everybody targets Oldham, but we have got to be ruthless. We have to go and relegate someone and we can pretty much do that on Saturday. Without being heartless, that is our task.
“It is going to be a tough game though, this is really sort of last chance saloon for most teams, with us it is not because now our destiny is in our own hands, but the likelihood is we will be OK through the poor results of others. Because, the form hasn’t suggested so far that everybody is going to keep winning. However, this is football and we never relax.
“Also we are moving forward, there are still things to fight for on individual circumstances and there are a couple that I am unsure about at the moment that in the last three games can influence my thought process. I am looking forward to having the last two games at home as well, everybody comes and sees us and we can feel what is needed, we can feel we are getting there. We did play probably better than people thought on Monday and generally there is a lot to be positive about.
“I think four points from Easter for us was a good return from always a difficult period. Pressure-wise, travelling-wise, juggling family commitments, training, it is similar to Christmas and it is not easy to get the players out there lively and focused. But, I thought they performed very well in difficult circumstances and I was disappointed not to win against Coventry because I thought our general play was actually quite good.
“We defended pretty well, I thought the midfield three won the battle and it was just on the day our front three didn’t produce enough for the amount of good opportunities we had to get at people. We had the better opportunities and the better of the game and I was quite frustrated after the game because I thought they were there for the taking. If we had just had 3 or 4 per cent more intensity and commitment in our attacking play then we would have won the game comfortably.
“It did have a bit of a feel of an end of season game, which I hate by the way, I didn’t want that at all. But, in fairness our defending and attitude to get back behind the ball was good and we limited a very good and experienced strikeforce to one opportunity in the match, and again, that was credit to our defenders and midfielders. We are 85 per cent there, but anything can happen in football.”