Sport

‘We’re not frightened of anyone’: Oldham Athletic’s Lee Johnson defiant despite defeat to Peterborough United

By Matthew Lees

Oldham Athletic are a match for anyone in the Sky Bet League 1 claims a bold Lee Johnson –despite losing to Peterborough United this weekend.

Promotion favourites Posh extended their 100% start to the 2013/14 campaign, yet Johnson still believes Oldham can compete against the best in the league this season.

Substitute Charlie MacDonald’s stoppage time goal was not enough to save the Latics after record-signing Britt Assombalonga made it three in three league games, and Lee Tomlin sunk them with a penalty.

But Johnson refused to feel down.

“We showed again that we are not frightened of teams in this league,” the 32-year-old told PA.

“We probably did enough to deserve a draw and on another day could have won the game.”

Oldham made two changes from last week’s defeat to Walsall with new signing Joseph Mills making his debut to replace the injured David Mellor and James Wesolowski given his first start of the season.

Defender James Tarkowski missed a great chance at the death forcing Athletic to travel back from Cambridgeshire empty-handed despite a decent display.

“We kept going to the very end, got a good goal back and how James missed at the end I will never know,” added Johnson.

“Aside from conceding a couple of poor goals it was a really pleasing performance.

“There is a right way and a wrong way to lose games of football – and this was the right way.”

Danny Philliskirk was not in the squad despite signing on Friday with Mills but Wesolowski played at London Road for the first time since leaving Peterborough to join Oldham in 2011.

Before kick-off the draw was made for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy first round live on Soccer AM which handed Latics an away tie at Shrewsbury Town due to take place week commencing September 2.

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