Fans can be our 18th man, says Spencer

With a full season’s work riding on the outcome of Sunday’s big game at Whitebank, Oldham’s assistant coach Lee Spencer has appealed to fans to turn up in strength and raise the roof for the team.

Victory against London Skolars (3pm kick off) will take Roughyeds within 80 minutes of promotion and set up an intriguing rematch against derby rivals Rochdale in a play-off final. Defeat will bring the season to a bitterly disappointing end.

Said Spencer: “Fans can be our 18th man, we saw that when we got more than 1,200 for the North Wales game. There was a terrific atmosphere, the boys responded and we won comfortably.

“Fans appreciate a winning team that puts in honest endeavour and despite last week’s blip we can claim to be both of those.

“We are, after all, two wins away from promotion after a season in which we surpassed all expectations by finishing second, only two points behind the champions.”