KEITH Curle told his Latics players they cannot “fold” after seeing a two-goal lead turn into a 4-2 home defeat against Cambridge.

Oldham raced out of the blocks in Curle’s first home game in charge, Davis Keillor-Dunn on target twice inside the opening 11 minutes.

Things unravelled badly for the hosts though, Paul Mullin’s penalty and two goals from Jack Iredale putting the high-flying U’s in front at half-time.

Luke Hannant’s goal direct from a corner after Keillor-Dunn had missed a penalty to level things up made it 12 home league defeats this season.

“It was a great start where we caused a decent team that’s doing very well a lot of problems,” Curle said.

“We played with fluency, we played with an attacking threat, we played with movement, anticipation.

“The first 25 minutes were very enjoyable to watch.

“When you lose you’ve got to learn and I’ve learned something about the players today. Out of possession we need to be better.

“There were individual errors but as a collective we need to have a reset button.

“When things aren’t quite going our way we can’t fold, we can’t melt, we’ve got to have that reset position and make sure we do our jobs out of possession.

“In possession, I haven’t got a problem. The players can handle a football, are technically very good, have got a willingness to work.

“We need to be a little bit braver with our defending.”

Keillor-Dunn, playing in an unfamiliar central striking role, could not have dreamed of a better start.

First he beat the offside trap and just about rounded Callum Burton to score before hammering home Nicky Adams’ inviting cross to take him to nine for the season

After Latics debutant Laurie Walker, signed on an emergency loan from MK Dons after an injury to Ian Lawlor, had saved from Mullin, Conor McAleny then nearly made it three with his swerving effort beaten away by Burton.

Then the comeback began, Raphael Diarra clumsily brought down Greg Taylor with Mullin making no mistake from the spot for his 26th goal of the campaign in all competitions 25 minutes in.

Latics were rocked and Iredale’s deflected effort made it 2-2 10 minutes later with the visitors getting their noses in front in first-half stoppage time when he took a fine back heel from Mullin before firing beyond Walker.

The second half was a quieter affair until the hosts got a golden chance to level things up when Andrea Badan went down in the box on 68 minutes.

Keillor-Dunn took the chance to seal his hat-trick but saw a poor kick saved by Burton.

Things then went from bad to worse shortly after when Hannant scored straight from a corner, Walker getting a hand to it but unable to keep it out when he should have done better.

Curle lamented Keillor-Dunn’s penalty miss with Bobby Grant seemingly having been set to take the spot kick before the No.10 got the nod to go for his hat-trick.

“We get the penalty and goals change games,” Curle added.

“That’s where we need that hunger in that changing room. We’re 3-2 down, we’ve got an opportunity, I used to take penalties myself so I know what the pressure is like, but you’ve got to score.

“It’s a free shot from 12 yards, you’ve got to score.

“We caused them problems when we had that confidence about us. If we score that penalty to make it 3-3 I think we would have gone on to cause them more problems.

“Davis did very well. We worked on the last two days about him playing as a false nine and still being a threat in behind and I think he enjoyed the role.

“He wants to get his first hat-trick, he wants to get the match ball but we need to win a game of football and that was an opportunity missed.”