ZAK Dearnley believes Latics have to put Bournemouth’s pedigree to one side when the sides meet at the Vitality Stadium this afternoon.

Harry Kewell’s men are in action in Dorset today after the late decision to switch the game due to the frozen Boundary Park pitch.

And striker Dearnley insists while Oldham are relishing testing themselves against a side third in the Championship after relegation from the Premier League last season, they will be trying to treat it like any other game.

“All the lads are looking forward to it, they’ve come down from the Premier League so it will be a good test for us,” the 22-year-old told The Oldham Times.

“It’s a good opportunity for the lads to play against some higher level opposition.

“They’re doing well but anything in football can happen so we just have to go in there with a positive mindset.

“It’s the same ball, we’ve both got two feet, that’s just the way it is.

“We have to trust our own ability. They’re only a team at the end of the day like us so we have to go in there with the right mentality.”

Dearnley will be keen to start for the third straight game, including the abandoned trip to Forest Green, having overcome a hamstring problem at the tail end of 2020.

He is under no illusions though about the fight to start up top.

Conor McAleny, with 13 goals, and Danny Rowe, on six like Dearnley, are both back from injury meaning Kewell has decisions to make.

“It’s good that we’ve got quality strikers and there is that competition,” Dearnley said.

“In training we’re pushing each other every day and always want to do the best for ourselves and try and get in that starting XI. It’s healthy.

“Rowey’s a good hold-up man that’s why I like playing with him, he holds it up and I can run in behind.

“That’s what I think makes a good partnership. But then there’s Conor and Rowey too. We all give the manager different options depending on what he wants to do in the game.”