OLDHAM Athletic will be a “tricky customer” for York City despite sitting perilously above the relegation zone in 20th place, admits manager David Webb.

The Latics, who were relegated from Sky Bet League Two last season, have tasted victory just six times in the Vanarama National League this season, with five of those having come at Boundary Park.

Despite the sides sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw at the LNER Community Stadium in August, things are set to be trickier for the Minstermen this time around.

David Unsworth’s Latics are currently one of the league’s form sides, having taken points off high-flying Notts County on New Years’ Day, and putting five past Dorking Wanderers since the turn of the year.

They have also not been shy in opening the chequebook this January, bringing in Michael Shelton, who has twice tasted National League promotion, on a two-year contract from League Two strugglers Hartlepool United, and tying down striker Mike Fondop, who netted a hat-trick against Dorking, until 2024.

But Webb is up for the challenge that the fellow former League club will pose, and hopes that the occasion will spur his players on. 

“Oldham have had a couple of good results, the win at Dorking, the draw against Notts County,” he said.

“They’ve invested into their squad as well so they’re going to be a difficult opposition.

“Expectation is they don’t want to be (in the National League) probably, they see themselves as an EFL club historically over the years, but they are where they are.

“In terms of their position in the league, they’re probably not where they wanted, but they’ve still got a good squad, a good coach, and they’re going to be a tricky customer. 

“Games like that under the lights on a Tuesday, a big crowd, we will go on there and relish it and try and put on a good display.

“They’ve hit a bit of form recently and added some new players to the squad.

“But it doesn’t change much of our approach really, we’re going to go in and attack the game to go on and win the game.

“We’re taking them very seriously as good opposition who have hit form. 
“From our side the prep is still the same, try and attack the game, win the game, and play some front foot football.

“They’ve got some strong, physical players so it’s not going to be easy by any means.

“They’re quite solid in their approach and the way they set up, they’re quite rigid as well in terms of their defensive approach so it won’t be easy to break them down, but we’ve got enough quality to definitely cause them loads of problems.”

With the Latics having attracted crowds in excess of 9,000 fans so far this season, Webb has called for as many fans as possible to make the trip over from North Yorkshire in order to build an electric atmosphere that his team can thrive on.

“It’s a game that we’re looking forward to and we’re hoping for a big crowd,” he added.

“We know that our supporters will come and support us, so it’s a game that we’re relishing and it’s a big week to do the business.”

“(Oldham’s crowd) can only add positivity. We want to play in front of big crowds and are well supported here at home, especially on certain teams, the amount of fans that they can bring with them, and Oldham is a big team in this division.

“I’m sure we will have our fair share of support as well being not a million miles away, so we’re set up for a good atmosphere, we want our fans to get behind us, we like playing in big atmospheres with games like this.

“We should be looking forward to it and hopefully we can enjoy it and win the game.”