Penney hoping it’s third time lucky

Oldham boss Dave Penney is backing the Latics to shock Norwich City tomorrow and pull away from the League One relegation zone. The Latics have lost to promotion-chasing Colchester and Leeds within the past seven days but Penney remains confident the hosts can end the week on a positive note at Boundary Park.

Oldham boss Dave Penney is backing the Latics to shock Norwich City tomorrow and pull away from the League One relegation zone.

The Latics have lost to promotion-chasing Colchester and Leeds within the past seven days but Penney remains confident the hosts can end the week on a positive note at Boundary Park.

"We didn't perform at Leeds in midweek and we deserved to get beaten," he said. "The two centre halves were solid and kept us organised but there wasn't much after that. Now we want to get that performance out of our system, and with the team at the top of the league coming there is no better game for that.

"We always knew it would be a really tough week against the teams which are third, second and first. They are tests that players should thrive on because they are big games played in front of big crowds, and they ought to enjoy them. These three games provide a barometer as to where we are in terms of our development."

Oldham fired blanks against both Colchester and Leeds - prompting Penney to challenge his midfield to take the pressure of the frontmen. Chris Taylor and Danny Whitaker have failed to scale the heights of last season when the duo chipped in with 19 goals. The pair have notched just three times ahead of City's weekend visit.

"It is important we can goals from all areas - set plays, wide areas - so we don't have to rely entirely on our centre forwards," said Penney. "Pawel Abbott and Jason Price have scored three of our last four goals and it is important everybody chips in as Joe Colbeck did at Swindon. Chris has had his injury problems this season, but hopefully he is over them and he can start scoring again."

Millwall loan recruit Price is keen to prolong his stay after one goal in four games ahead of the final match of his initial one month deal against the Canaries.

"I hadn't been playing regularly at Millwall which is why manager Kenny Jackett suggested it would be better for me to go out on loan and play some games," he said.