LATICS’ new date for their trip to Scunthorpe was confirmed yesterday – slotting into an already packed schedule.

After Saturday’s meeting at Glanford Park was called off two hours before kick-off, it has been agreed that Harry Kewell’s side will meet the Iron on Tuesday, March 16.

That means that starting with Saturday’s home game against Exeter City, Latics will play 10 games in five weeks, up to and including the trip to Bradford City on March 20.

Oldham are not alone in this but more and more concerns are being expressed across the EFL about the potential for a major fixture backlog in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Things do ease up for Latics in April with just one Tuesday night game pencilled in during that month but other clubs are increasingly turning to those dates for rearranged games.

Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt recently spoke of his worries about Saturday-Tuesday-Thursday becoming a common fixture pattern.

His side saw back-to-back games fall victim to the wintery weather, conditions compounding an issue initially caused by a truncated season and further games being called off due to Covid-19 issues.

Latics have played 26 games having seen just two postponed this season, the weekend Iron clash joining the started but not completed game at Forest Green at the start of 2021.

“We’re fortunate enough in a way that the two games that have been cancelled haven’t been at Boundary Park, it’s been at other venues and there’s really nothing we can do about it,” Kewell said.

“So I take my hat off to and thank the ground staff here who are working tirelessly to make sure our pitch is in the best condition it can be to host our upcoming fixtures.”

With 20 fixtures left to fit in, Oldham are roughly in the middle of the League Two pack.

Leaders Cambridge and 16th-in-the-table Port Vale have got 28 games in with the number going as far down as Carlisle’s 23, the Cumbrians having played two games fewer than any side in the division.

They saw Tuesday’s game with Leyton Orient beaten by the freezing conditions despite agreeing to play the game at 2.30pm.

A combination of wintry weather, Covid-19 and a power cut means Carlisle have played only twice since January 2. Latics themselves will end a two-week wait for action when Exeter come to town this weekend meaning Kewell’s players should in theory at least be refreshed before the hectic schedule of five straight Saturday-Tuesday weeks begins.

The rearranged Scunthorpe game will kick-off at 7pm with those who purchased iFollow passes for the original game getting complimentary access for the new date.