Micky Mellon admitted he was "in turmoil" watching Oldham Athletic's 2-0 defeat at Aldershot Town.

Latics remain in the play-off positions by virtue of top seven rivals either being involved in the FA Trophy or themselves dropping points.

But Mellon admitted the performance did not merit the position they are in and what is at stake, with Oldham only registering one shot at goal all game.

"We weren't good enough," said the Latics boss.

"I can sometimes stand here and try and maybe defend us because that's what you're supposed to do. But today we didn't string enough passes together, there weren't enough people who wanted to get on the ball and play, there weren't enough people wanting to take responsibility and go and compete. We just didn't get going at any stage. We kept wanting to play these big punts up the pitch hoping for the best. Go and get on the ball and play.

"It's a mentality thing. When you come into these games and you understand how important they are, the good player comes into these environments and takes part. He understands that this time of the season this is where he should be, these are the games that he should be taking part in, and he has no problem with that, he goes and gets involved and goes and fights and whatever the game is asking of him he goes and does that.

"We, today, I couldn't count many or any that represented that type of footballer today."

Latics trailed at the break after James Daly took advantage of a free header from a left wing cross in the 37th minute.

Aldershot had one saved on the line and hit the woodwork with a penalty before Tyler Frost wrapped the game up deep into stoppage time.

"The first goal was crap. The first goal we gave away was rubbish. We've got three centre backs in there and the guy gets a free header, the cross comes in too easy, it's not good enough. But we've had this since we came in," said Mellon.

"I'm trying to be fair. I've got to be fair really. But we've had this a lot. No consistency in what we want. We speak all the time about doing the right thing and we give away a goal like that.

"We had a couple of chances but didn't do anywhere near enough."

Latics were backed by more than 400 travelling fans, and Mellon added: "I've seen the amount of support that came down to support us and we, and I say 'we' because I'm part of that as well, we didn't represent that enough.

"The only thing we can do now is take the deserved criticism that will come our way because we didn't represent a team that was fighting at the end of the table that we're at. We just didn't get going at any time.

"A thoroughly disappointing afternoon. I think disappointing is an understatement but that's the only word I can use to describe our performance today.

"I didn't come here and expect that. I expected people to really put themselves on the line, and I don't expect to give away goals like we gave away.

"If you're going to give goals away like that at this stage of the season and you're going to not compete like we did today at this stage of the season you're going to find it very difficult.

"I'm really disappointed, as you can tell. Thoroughly, thoroughly p*ssed off if I'm going to be honest, because it's an important time of the season and I wanted more. I wanted more than that.

"You're standing in this little technical area here and you're in turmoil standing watching some of that. But managers have got to do that, that's what the job is, and you've got to bounce on now to Tuesday, tell people what they need to be told in order to get a performance that does look more like a team that should play for Oldham Athletic.

"We should represent this brilliant club better than that. It's not the first time, but we just have to hope that we have less of them."