Match views . . .

John Sheridan

ATHLETIC manager John Sheridan was in philosophical mood after taking a point in a close derby game against Bury:

"Bury were the better team in the first half and we were on top in the second half. It was a typical derby.

"Both teams knew the importance of not losing the game. While we are at home and I expect us to win our home games, we just didn't get going in the first half and Bury made it hard for us.

"Credit to the players again, as we have got another clean sheet. The problem is, scoring goals.

"We don't pick the right pass at times and people don't make the right runs.

"You can only work on it and try to teach them during the week, which we did. In the second half, we had a go.

"We came out with a clean sheet again and that's one thing we do as a team, work really hard to keep clean sheets.

"But you have to put the ball in the back of the net.

"The plus-point is, we haven't lost any ground on Bury - though obviously, one or two results didn't go our way.

'MUST-WIN'

"If I had been asked before this game if I would have been happy with four points from two home games, I would have taken that.

"Now is a must-win for me against Oxford on tomorrow, whereas if we had won this I would have taken a draw.

"It's important we keep ticking over and taking on average two points per game."

BURY manager Lee Clark felt his team did things the hard way on a tough pitch:

"It was a tough local derby and not played on the best of surfaces, but if you can't win you've got to respect the point.

"We played well in the first half and then Oldham made tactical changes which put us under pressure, but we finished the game strongly.

"We had chances early and late in the game, which shows that the lads were never going to give up.

"We didn't take them, but I never criticise players for missing chances because it means they are getting into the danger zone.

"In recent games we've played a lot of good football, but here showed we can mix it up and do things the hard way."