JOHN Sheridan is urging his side to be confident but not complacent going into another relegation six-pointer this weekend.

Oldham Athletic travel to a Colchester United team that sits just two points and one place above them towards the foot of the table.

Extending a five-game unbeaten run with a win would see Latics leapfrog the U's into 21st place. Depending on Barrow's result at home to Harrogate, 20th spot is also be a possibility.

But while confidence is high after picking up three wins from five to climb out of the relegation zone following last weekend's 2-0 win at home to Bradford City, Sheridan has advised his players not to get ahead of themselves.

"Without spoiling the party I've told the players 'don't get carried away', just continue what we've been doing of late and doing well of late, and winning football matches and picking points up to try to get us out of the bottom two, and that's all we can continue to do," said the Latics head coach.

"I'll keep telling them and Tommy (Wright) will keep telling them don't get carried away because I've been involved in the game a long time and I know around the corner you can fall flat on your face.

"But while we're doing well we're praising the lads and telling them to carry on, keep your feet on the ground and focus on the next game, Colchester, which is big, big game.

"It's two teams in very similar positions who will probably go into the game thinking the same, that you can gain some ground on each other.

"If they can get the win they're after they gain a little bit of an advantage over us."

Sheridan feels the onus will be on Colchester to capitalise on home advantage in this crucial League Two clash. But Latics have coped well with similar pressure on his watch - notably away to Scunthorpe United - and he sees no reason why they cannot do so again.

"It's a team in a similar position to ourselves, they're at home and looking at it as a winnable game for them," said the Latics head coach.

"If it was us at home I would expect us to win the game, and it's a good chance of winning the game, so I'm sure they're looking at it like that.

"But we're on an unbeaten run, 11 points from 15 we couldn't ask much more from the players. We'll go there believing we can win the game but at the same time expect a really tough game.

"I'm sure the manager (Wayne Brown) will know that we're in decent form ourselves. I hope he expects a tough game and we go and give them a tough game.

"At the same time it gives us an opportunity, if we can get the result we're after and get the win we're after we can leapfrog them in the league. But it's very tight and it's two teams at the bottom who are desperate for the points.

"We've just got to continue what we've been doing and don't get carried away."