JOHN Sheridan is nothing if not pragmatic.

With Latics challenging at the wrong end of League Two the head coach knew their unbeaten start would come to an end at some point.

He was disappointed that time was called on it at home to Carlisle United on Saturday. Having taken the lead in the game he felt his team had done enough to at least warrant a draw.

And it is for that reason there has not be a knee-jerk reaction to a first defeat on his watch, insisting their hard work have not be undone overnight, and why - ahead of his return to former club Swindon Town tomorrow - he says they have stuck to the principles that have served them well so far.

"We haven't changed too much. The result last week didn't help but the performance didn't really merit us losing the game," said Sheridan.

"It ends our unbeaten run but we've got to try to get on another little run if we can.

"If we do what we've done in the last month we'll be all right.

"We knew we were going to lose game and we will do again.

"It's about getting enough points on board to keep us in this league. It's very tight. Some teams are going on little runs. It's important we stay in the mix as long as we can, and even better if we can get an advantage."

He added: "You can't reflect on it (defeat) too much. Me and Tommy (Wright) have said what we had to say and hopefully they take on board things that we did wrong.

"We've had a good run, I don't think we deserved to lose the game and we were disappointed to lose the game. But we've got to keep that belief in the players and keep the confidence and mood and take it into a tough game at Swindon."

The Robins were the last club Sheridan managed before returning to Boundary Park for a sixth spell in charge.

The 58-year-old had resigned in April last year after just five months in charge of the League One strugglers.

"I don't want to talk about Swindon. It's nothing to do with me any more," he said.

"My objective is to go there as manager of Oldham and win the game.

"They're a good team, a good footballing side with some clever players in the team.

"They've having a decent season and I respect that. We will work on how we can nullify their threats.

"I'm expecting a tough game, but it's another game I feel we can go there and stamp our game on them, carry on what we've been doing of late scoring goals and creating chances."

Sheridan added: "We carry on what we've been doing. The lads have been great since I came in.

"The league's inconsistent. I can't predict results week in, week out. There are some teams down at the bottom who are good teams and they are going to win games.

"But it's not good worrying about anyone else, all we can do is focus on ourselves."