JOHN Sheridan has set Oldham Athletic a challenge of winning their last three games to stand a chance of survival - but even then he warned it might not be enough.

Latics go into Saturday's home game against promotion-chasing Salford City four points adrift of safety after Stevenage and Barrow picked four points up from a possible six over Easter.

Oldham were above the relegation zone on goal difference ahead of the Good Friday home game with Northampton Town.

But defeat against the high-flying Cobblers, allied to wins for Stevenage and Barrow, and then Easter Monday draws for their nearest rivals while Latics suffered defeat at league leaders Forest Green has given them a mountain to climb.

Sheridan is determined to keep battling to stay in with a chance of reaching the survival summit.

"I think we've got to win three, because I think the two teams in and around us are just picking up a bit of form," he said.

"If three's good enough - nine points - I don't know. It's going to be very difficult. But I'll be telling them to go out and try to win."

He accepts it is a tall order, especially given the statistics.

Latics went seven unbeaten when Sheridan returned for a sixth spell in charge in January, but since that run ended they have lost nine from 11.

They are without Carl Piergianni too as the influential captain, and talisman, serves the second of a thee-match ban.

Nevertheless, Sheridan believes they are good enough to stay up, but insists it is up to the players to prove it.

The Latics head coach says the team have demonstrated their capabilities on enough occasions this season. It is a matter of consistency and continuity that has been a particular Achilles heel.

But Sheridan feels you only need to look at results against Port Vale and Forest Green at home earlier this season, and the wins against Bradford and Bristol Rovers under his watch, to appreciate they have got what it takes to avoid the drop.

"They've shown they have been good enough, we've had good results," he said of his players.

"We've done good things and won important games but at the end of the day we've not won enough games or enough points.

"We make so many errors to enable the opposition to get on the front foot and create chances, from nothing. And it's continued for a long time. We gift them opportunities."

But with their survival mission boiling down to the last three games, in which they have to overcome a four-point gap in order to preserve their Football League status, he acknowledged that a lack of consistency has been their downfall.

"You've got to be consistent in your game. It's no good for a manager to look at someone week in, week out and think, should I play him? Will he play well? Should I leave him out? Is he tired?," said Sheridan.

"You should consistently want to be the best player whatever position you're playing in on the pitch, week in week out."