A bad day at the office and no mistake. Both sides started a tad open at the back and both should have scored early on. Then the injury seemed to completely put us out of any stride we were trying to get going and they scored a goal for me that came from us too deep and not pressing enough. They then spent the best part of the first half time wasting whenever they could but also hassling us out of possession too often. We never looked in it and the second goal was a mistake that should have been avoided. I felt sorry for Talbot I just don't get why anyone with an ounce of sense thinks booing a player after a mistake will improve their sense of worth. He clearly looked gutted he had gifted the goal and to my mind not enough of his team mates gee'd him up and gave him the "head up" steer. The goal back came from a short ten minute spell where we looked threatening but in truth we got what we deserved - nothing. I think we need to play either a 4 5 1 or a 3 5 2 against physically more robust teams - I like Close, he's neat and tidy but he needs to be a bit further forward and have Rose in there with him to scrap a bit more. We really missed Burgess today as well. Bennett looked good when he came on so I think a bit of a shuffle is imminent. The crowd trouble was not good to see and it clearly was hotting up verbally as I was leaving between those outside the ground and those Oldham fans waiting to leave. By the time I was on the Eastern Road the number of Police Vans and Cars that passed with blues and twos' going was 5.
Agree with everything you have said, Eastney. Today was a disaster for us. Things could have been different if Brett Pitman's superb shot in the first half had gone into the top left hand corner of the Oldham net. Their keeper made a terrific save to push it over the bar. Eoin Doyle scored twice for the visitors, in fact it is safe to say that he did more in 90 minutes for them than he did for us the entire time he played last season The last 10 minutes we came alive, Brett Pitman scored his 9th goal in 11 league matches, but we couldn't find an equaliser. It wouldn't have been fair on Oldham if we had to be honest. Understand that Nathan Thompson who was stretchered off the pitch straight to QA Hospital after being knocked unconsious in a collision with Drew Talbot, is now sitting up in bed and appears to be o.k.
