KEITH Curle has labelled the 2020/21 season a "difficult year for every single football club", but he is urging Latics to end it on a high.

The countdown to the season finale begins at Morecambe tomorrow in the lunchtime kick-off (12.30pm), with Curle looking for the maximum return from the remaining five games.

After celebrating back-to-back wins for only the third time in League Two this season - and first time under the former Carlisle and Northampton boss, Oldham are now closer to the top seven than the bottom two.

They are still not yet mathematically safe, but are only 11 points off the play-offs, which gives an indication of how congested the division is.

But while Curle feels time has run out on any chance of making a late promotion push, he insists there is still plenty for Latics to play for, and their aim must still be to look up the table regardless.

"There are a few boxes I want ticking on Saturday. I want to score goals, I want to win a game, I want to keep a clean sheet," said Curle, who is keen to turn the current -4 goal difference into a positive before the campaign is over.

"That would be an aim. It was minus seven when I first came in. Our ratio of scoring goals per game is still good, we're trying to reduce the goals conceded.

"Obviously the Cambridge game didn't help us but, learning from that, I think now if we were 2-0 up I don't think it would be a 4-2 (to Cambridge), I think it would be 4-0 to us."

Having scored four against Crawley and five against Colchester in those back-to-back wins, Curle feels it is only a matter of time before they hit a plus sign.

"That's the aim. It shows then we're moving in the right direction, scoring goals and conceding fewer goals, that's always a positive to have, " added Curle.

If you look at the table I think historically you get teams who are always in the top half of the table and you get some teams who struggle.

"Port Vale previously missed out on the play-offs last season, albeit with the season cut short. Colchester were in the play-offs and are now fighting for their lives at the bottom end of the table.

"It's been a difficult year for every single football club and the impact is various results and performances on the pitch."

Latics are nearing full strength with players returning to fitness, while Kyle Jameson and top scorer Conor McAleny have benefited from being substituted in the second half of the Colchester game in order to prevent knocks and strains from getting worse.

"They've been out training, it's just making sure there's no reaction to that" said Curle.

"We've got a few players that have had minutes in training and minutes in a game against Fleetwood on Tuesday which is important, and shows they are on their return to being available for selection.

"They have to go through that before they can be available for selection."