Josh Lundstram says Oldham Athletic must find a way to combat teams raising their game against them.
Latics have dropped 19 points at home this season, with new boss Micky Mellon yet to taste victory at Boundary Park after three attempts following draws against Altrincham and Eastleigh, and defeat to Ebbsfleet in their last game.
Saturday’s visit of Mickelover – a team two divisions below Latics in step three of the National League System – presents another challenge. Essentially, the Southern League Premier Central side have nothing to lose against their National League opponents in their FA Trophy third round tie (kick-off 3pm).
And Lundstram believes that is why visiting teams often go above and beyond their usual performance levels when the play at a place like Boundary Park, against a side with ambitions to return to the Football League at the earliest opportunity.
It is imperative, he says, that Latics learn how to handle that if they are to make Boundary Park the fortress it needs to be to fuel a promotion push.
“Teams do up their game here. That is a factor, but we can’t use that as an excuse, that’s not something that’s going to change. Everyone is always going to come here and do that,” said the midfielder.
“We need to match them and play better than they do.
“It’s not the way you’d want it for every team to come and give their best performance against us, we just have to stand up to that and find a way to keep picking up three points.”
Former Altrincham ace Lundstram is learning on the job when it comes to dealing with this situation.
“I don’t know if the standard of the league’s gone up this year but from my home games last year to my home games this year teams are putting in miles more effort and giving a lot in their performances,” he noted.
“There’s definitely truth in that theory but also that’s not something we can use as an excuse. We’ve got to be better than any team that comes here.”
