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Mercer promises changes

18/ 5/2005

OLDHAM boss Gary Mercer has said changes will be made for the Roughyeds' trip to Batley on Sunday.

Last weekend's 60-6 humiliation against Whitehaven at Boundary Park left Oldham adrift at the foot of National League One and facing a battle to survive.

Mercer was all the more puzzled by the performance having been heartened by Oldham's three previous run-outs.

He said: "It was terrible really, especially as the three outings before had been quite promising.

"To go and lose heavily like we did set us back a bit, so I'm trying to look on it as a minor setback.

"It was a really bad day at the office and we've got to try and pick ourselves up for Sunday.

"The disappointing thing for me as a coach is the fact we didn't compete.

"Changes have to be made, we can't go through a performance like that again.

"We have a chance if I can get the boys motivated to go out there and compete - we can't go out half-hearted."

Despite having a squad of 24 to pick from, Mercer believes the key player is the absent Paul Norman.

The prop faces another five to six weeks on the sidelines after an arm injury and his absence has left a big hole in the pack.

Mercer said: "He is being sorely missed by us and I'm now trying to teach my players to do the same things that Paul does."