Spencer: We will remain upbeat

Lee Spencer.

DESPITE conceding 26 second-half points without reply, Oldham did enough against Bradford's full-timers to go into next Sunday's crucial game against Workington Town at Bower Fold in upbeat mood, said assistant coach Lee Spencer.

A new-look side, minus the rested Phil Joy and Liam Thompson and without the injured Gareth Owen, Gary Middlehurst, Jack Spencer and Lewis Foster, restricted Bulls to an 18-12 interval lead and never stopped trying although Bradford got well on top after scoring a 'soft' try in the first set of the second half.

"Our effort couldn't be faulted, nor could our first-half showing overall," said Spencer. "You've got to be reasonably happy in turning round at Bradford only six points down.

"We did enough good stuff in the first 40 to encourage the belief that we could make a fist of it in the second half, but everything we spoke about at half-time went out of the window and that was the big disappointment.

"We needed to be right on top of our game in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but they scored in their first set and that was the worst thing that could have happened to us.

"After that, individual errors cost us badly; we gave away too many fifth-tackle penalties; our discipline wasn't good enough, nor was our defence generally.

"We conceded penalties in our own half and we weren't organised enough when they were pressing on our line.

"They scored five tries in the second half and we were disappointed at the way we defended four of them.

"The weather might have taken its toll on us because it was very hot indeed at pitch level. Full-timers would be better prepared to deal with that, especially as a lot of the work we've been doing recently in the comparatively little time we have together has been with the video.

"Despite all that, we'll focus on Workington now with our heads held high because in terms of keeping daylight between ourselves and the bottom two it's the most important game of the season so far."