LEAGUE Two - and getting away from the wrong end of the table - will always be the priority for Keith Curle and Oldham Athletic this season.

But such is the head coach's competitive spirit that he holds all competitions in high regard.

After producing an upset in the FA Cup first round by holding ambitious League One side Ipswich Town to a 1-1 draw on Saturday, Latics swiftly turn their attentions to the less fashionable Papa John's Trophy, with tonight's game at group leaders Tranmere Rovers (kick-off 7pm).

But while it does not have the same prestige as the world's most famous domestic cup competition, it is never the less of consequence to Curle.

"I want to win it," he said.

"We are mindful of the bigger competition that we are in which is staying in the league this year. But will I play a weakened squad?"

Chance, if truth be told, would be a fine thing.

Nevertheless, Curle added: "We will be picking from the same squad as we were for the FA Cup. We've got 13 first players and five Academy players, so it's going to be from the same 18."

Nine substitutes are permitted in the FA Cup, with the opportunity to use five of them. Ipswich Town filled their quota on both fronts, while Latics were only able to name seven substitutions, using just two of them.

"At the minute we are having to invite five or six youth team players to train with us to get the numbers up."

Nicky Adams made his comeback from injury from the bench in the 1-1 FA Cup first round draw at Ipswich on Saturday, and more are due to follow before the end of the month.

And as well as boosting numbers captain Carl Piergianni said it had other benefits to the squad.

"It helps the spirit having someone as good as Nicky coming back into the squad, but also just having the competitive side of things, knowing that you've got good players in the squad that can come on and take your place so you've got to be raring to go, you've got to play well, and fight to keep your shirt. It's good to have squad members coming back in," said the skipper, who has called for Latics' performance at Portman Road to be the "benchmark" for the remainder of the season.

"I think it was a performance to be proud of, for sure.

"I think we played really well, especially after a going a goal down early on, we could have easily folded, but we showed great character and great desire to get back in the game.

"It was a really good performance and that just really needs to be the benchmark now.

"We've rarely come from one goal behind this year to put in such a good shift, and we just said we've just mixed it up and played really well against a great League One team, so we've shown we can do that, so if we play like that we know we can beat anyone in our league so we just need to make sure that we apply ourselves and do the right things."