Latics skipper Dean Furman spoke to the Oldham Evening Chronicle ahead of his side's Carling Cup First Round tie at home to Carlisle this evening, Furman though first looking back on the Latics losing 2-0 at home to Sheffield United on Saturday :
“You never want to start the season off on a defeat, but we are more disappointed with the two goals we conceded — and the manner of our performance after conceding those goals. We have got a young team and it is important we learn to take goals on the chin. We have to instill that bit of belief and dig in harder when we go behind. It is of major importance. We need to learn and learn fast. If anything, we need to get up and go even harder when we are a goal down. It seemed that as a team, we didn’t fight hard enough after that goal went in. But we know that. We had a talk as a team and we will pick ourselves up.
“We were toe-to-toe with Sheffield United in the first half and there was nothing in the game. We felt we were a threat at set pieces, so the major disappointment is that we let in a goal ourselves on a set play. The boys were a bit down in the changing rooms after the game, but we pick ourselves up and will be raring to go. There were some positives and we have to take what we have learned and put it right quickly against Carlisle."
Meanwhile Latics centre-half Zander Diamond told his club's official website :
"It should be an interesting game as Carlisle and ourselves both lost on Saturday so we will be each going for our first win of the season. When you lose on a Saturday, there is nothing better than having a match on the Tuesday and having the chance to put it right. I am looking forward to the game because it is my first involvement in the Carling Cup. The confidence is still there and one defeat does not drain it away. We take heart from what we have done in friendly games into the league and Carling Cup, and all the boys will be itching to put Saturday right."
In team news for Oldham they will be firstly able to call on 23-year old Australian midfielder James Wesolowski who they signed yesterday on a one-year deal after the former Peterborough man had his contract at London Road, which was due to run until the end of June 2012, terminated. Wesolowski expected to debut for the Latics this evening as their young Stoke City-loanee midfielder Matty Lund is away on international duty with the Northern Ireland under-21s side.
Lund is the only Latic unavailable though as centre-half Zander Diamond and striker Matt Smith have recovered from minor respective head and foot injuries picked up in Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat against Sheffield United. So, with Portuguese attacking midfielder Filipe Morais returning to action after completing the final game of a three-match ban in that game, which was carried over from last season, that means the Oldham squad for this evening is :
Goalkeepers – Alex Cisak and Paul Gerrard.
Defenders – Paul Black, Matthew Carr, Zander Diamond, Kieran Lee, Jean-Yves M’voto and Carl Winchester.
Midfielders – Dean Furman, David Mellor, Kirk Millar, Filipe Morais, Chris Taylor and James Wesolowski.
Attackers – Ryan Brooke, Josh Parker, Reuben Reid and Matt Smith.
Over the years Oldham have played Carlisle 36 times at Boundary Park with the Latics winning 20 games and United eight, while the other eight matches have finished in draws. As far as the League Cup goes the two sides have faced each other twice in the competition before, the first time being in the 1987-88 campaign in the second round.
Carlisle winning the home leg 4-3 (attendance – 2,271, scorers – Brent Hetherington, Billy Wright (pen), Mally Poskett and John Cooke), only to then go down 4-1 (attendance – 4,353, scorer – John Cooke) in the second leg at Boundary Park to lose the tie 7-5 on aggregate. United though winning 1-0 at home in a one-legged first round tie in August 2009 thanks to a 89th minute goal from Scott Dobie in front of 2,509 spectators inside Brunton Park.
For a detailed analysis of the complete head-to-head record between the two sides, click here
The referee for this evening's match, in which both sides will be able to name seven substitutes on the bench, is Mark Haywood from Leeds and he will be assisted down the lines by Peter Bankes from Bootle and Seb Stockbridge from Dunston, Tyne and Wear. Meanwhile the fourth official is Michael Denton from the Lancashire/West Yorkshire border.
As for entry to tonight's game, which could go to both extra-time and even a penalty shootout, only the Main Stand and Detect-All Chaddy Road End will be open for home fans with visitors accommodated in the Leesfield Developments Rochdale Road Stand. Admission prices will be Category 'B' under Oldham's newly introduced price structure with it looking like adult United fans will be paying £18 and all junior and senior citizen Blues paying £9.