Match preview: Bromley v Latics

For the players, tomorrow is a chance to build on three outstanding wins on the spin. They have properly rebounded from three potentially demoralising defeats, rediscovered their grit, got Ryan Woods back from a rest and are getting the most out Kane Drummond and Jack Stevens, and Calum Kavanagh and Mike Fondop. Mat Hudson’s transfer value continues to climb.

For Latics boss Micky Mellon who, as always, wants his team to finish “as high up the league as possible”, there’s something else at stake: this week he spoke of the need for “consistency”. Latics have been very consistent in terms of playing style up until very recently, even if results haven’t been as consistent.

The hammering off of Cambridge was uncharacteristic, as was the mauling by Swindon Town away at the County Ground. Mellon has things on his mind though – consistency and behaviours – that are not immediately connected to results and points. The question of his tenure beyond the end of the season is still not resolved, but he’ll be damned if he lets things drift whether he has other plans or not.

SORT IT OUT UNSWORTH

Latics fans have a different view of tomorrow’s game from either the manager or the players – a different agenda if you like. Those who have been to Hayes Lane twice and seen their team well beaten twice want a redemption story.

The first time Latics played there, it was David Unsworth’s first game in the dugout, which was right in front of the Latics fans. Latics were 2-0 down at half-time. In the stands, someone called out: “Sort it out Unsworth.”

Another bloke said: “It’s his first match. He can’t sort that lot out in one game.”

“Nevertheless,” said the first bloke. “We’re two-nil down and he’s the manager of Oldham Athletic. Who else is going to sort it out before the second half?”

I’ve thought about that conversation quite a bit. One guy was saying, “It’s his first game. Give him a pass. I’m sure we’ll see what he can do in subsequent games.”

The other guy was saying: “No. NOW. He is wearing the badge NOW. He is taking the salary NOW. He has to do something NOW. He has big, long-term decisions to make in the dressing room NOW.”

Unsworth did not sort it out before the second half (it finished 3-0) or ever. Just shy of a year later, before his second game as Latics manager at Hayes Lane, he promised that “someone is due a beating” if Latics carried on playing like they were playing.

That “someone” was his own side, who were duly given another 3-0 beating. It was 2-0 at half-time then too.

THE ESTABLISHED ORDER OF THINGS

When Latics beat Bromley at Boundary Park earlier in the season, there was at least a sense of realignment, a hint of a turnaround – the established Football League club telling the upstart non-league triers, “Fun’s over, fellas. This isn’t non-league anymore.”

Bromley are top of the pile and haven’t lost at Hayes Lane in the league all season. When I said a few weeks ago that, with their promotion hopes gone, Latics have to find the motivation to animate the league for the rest of the season, this is one of the games I was thinking about.

There’s 23 points between Bromley at the top and Latics in the upper echelons of mid-table. Were we ever close to harvesting that number of points this season? I can think of one game where we got nothing and should have won (Barnet away). I can think of a few games where we drew but should have won. I can think of games where we lost but should have drawn. But I can’t find 23 points – or 17 if you give Latics two wins for their two games in hand.