Ford takes 'full responsibility' for Oldham's play-off setback at Doncaster

Mike Ford is keen for Oldham supporters to know his views, and those of the club in general, about the poor performance at Doncaster last Sunday and this Sunday’s upcoming battle against North Wales Crusaders in another play-off game (3pm kick-off).

The club’s managing director and interim head coach speaks for an awful lot of fans when acknowledging publicly, first and foremost, that the team performance in last Sunday’s heavy defeat in South Yorkshire wasn’t up to par, wasn’t what everyone associated with the club expects to see on a Sunday afternoon and, simply, wasn’t good enough to satisfy the board of directors who are hell bent on providing fans with good, value-for-money entertainment and a side that can take the club onwards and upwards.

Said Ford: “I take full responsibility.

"You always think you have prepared well; got the motivation right; got the lads ready to implement and execute; and got them ready to be the best they can be.

"On reflection, I got that wrong.

"I still believe passionately in these boys and even at half-time last week, when we trailed 24-0, I told them we could still turn things round and win.

“I don’t wish to talk about individual players, more of the team as a whole.

"We will endeavour to put things right this week against a big, physical Crusaders team that had a great win at Workington and who will now come to Boundary Park on a high."

This one is sudden-death for the losers who, as Ford points out, will be “gone”.

He added: “We’ll fight to the death.

"Last week has gone now and, unsatisfactory as it was, the reality of the situation is that we have to move on.

"We can at least go part way to putting things right by beating Crusaders and that will be the one thing we are concentrating on this week.

"As I say, I still believe in this set of boys and I believe we can still make progress.

“We are treating this play-off series now like a cup competition, given that it’s sudden death from now on.

"There are no more second chances.

"If we lose on Sunday we are eliminated.

"If we win we go to the losers of Hunslet v Doncaster, so there is a chance that we could be going to the Eco-Power Stadium for the fourth time this season and playing Doncaster for the fifth time overall.

“Win or lose against Crusaders, though, this will be our last home game of the season and our last at Boundary Park until next year when all our home games are played there.”

For the record, Oldham did the double over Crusaders in the league, winning 18-4 in Colwyn Bay at the end of March and 37-24 at the Vestacare Stadium in July - a game that was much closer than the score would suggest.

Away from home, just a day or two after it was announced that Chris Hamilton had sold the club after his 25 years at the helm, Roughyeds won with tries by Zac Baker, Alex Sutton and Logan Astley on the back of an enthusiastic defensive show.

Oldham led 12-0 at half-time and the one North Wales try was scored deep into the second half by a winger who has often scored against the Roughyeds, powerful winger Rob Massam.

Three months later, at home, it was 12-12 at half time and Crusaders were very much in the game thanks to their big, strong pack in which our former forward Jordan Andrade came off the bench to score twice.

It was 30-24 to us deep into the second half before Martyn Ridyard dropped a goal and Kieran Tyrer made the game safe with a late try.

But back to this coming Sunday and Ford’s thoughts that the push for promotion is now like a cup competition.

He said: “It’s like being at home in a quarter-final - and the thought of that can’t be bad!

"That’s how we are looking at it now.

"Beat Crusaders at home and we are in a semi-final.

“There are lots of positives too.

"Josh Johnson is available again after suspension; we came through the Doncaster game with no worrying injuries; Jamie Ellis played for 50 minutes in his first game for weeks and came through unscathed; Greg McNally, Patrick Ah Van and Emmerson Whittel all had incidents looked at by the Match Review Panel and none of them was suspended and, most of all, we are still in the competition and determined to get it right this time.”

SPECTATOR INFORMATION.

St Anne’s and Waterhead, who each won promotion from their respective divisions in the National Conference, have been invited to attend Sunday's game and to parade their trophies in front of the Joe Royle stand at half-time.

Match-day arrangements and admission prices are the same as our last match at BP with match ticket and pie and peas hospitality available in the Broadway Suite from 12.30pm.

It includes a Q and A conducted by Braddy with new signing Jordan Turner pre-match plus the man-of-the match and champagne-moment presentations post match - all for £25.

Please note that access to the Broadway Suite is only available to those who have paid £25 and have the necessary wrist bands, given out at reception.

There is also a public bar which is open from 12.30 to 6.30pm,

There was a teething problem concerning turnstiles at the Workington game, but four turnstiles will be open in total from 1.30pm, situated at either end of the Joe Royle stand.

People who perhaps didn’t go to BP for the Workington game should be aware that only the 2,500-seat Joe Royle Stand sill be open, with access and car parking off Broadway.

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