Harry Kewell describes Oldham display as ‘terrible’ in heavy defeat at Stevenage

Harry Kewell labelled Oldham’s performance as “terrible” following an underwhelming 3-0 defeat at Stevenage.

Elliot Osborne, Luther James-Wildin and Luke Prosser all scored in the final 30 minutes as Oldham remained without a League Two point this season.

It could have been even worse with Inih Effiong missing a penalty for the hosts, leaving manager Kewell questioning his players’ mentality.

“It was terrible, it wasn’t a performance I have seen from the team throughout the time I have been here,” he said.

“It was a performance I can’t even defend. I felt that Stevenage just wanted it more in the second half. They stepped up and we had no answer to it.

“The players need to realise you just have got to be hard, strong, hard-working and have that willingness just to beat your own man and especially in the second half, we just weren’t there.

“There is no point everyone going in there screaming at each other, I don’t get that because you have had 90 minutes to go out there and prove why you should be starting.

“Some of them may be feel they have been gifted a start which is not true because I have other players willing to run a little harder and faster and it will be a shock for them.”

Elliott List pulled back for Osborne to open the scoring on the hour mark, with Effiong then seeing his spot-kick saved as Stevenage attempted to double their lead.

They were not denied for long, James-Wildin lashing home from a corner while Prosser nodded home to seal all three points.

Stevenage now have four points this League Two season – a tally which took them 10 games to reach last term.

“The second half we were outstanding, we were magnificent and the players committed to what we wanted and it was great to watch,” said home manager Alex Revell after a first league win since January.

“It is confidence isn’t it? Wins and goals bring confidence. The biggest thing for me is we have to have belief and we believe in every single one of these guys.

“We want them to do well and to make them better and in doing that they are making us better as a team.

“We have so much belief in them that they need to now go on the pitch and show that every game even when things aren’t going well.

“That togetherness and grit and intensity and everything that we talk about that is in our DNA and culture came out in the second half.

“It is a great way to start at home but it is just a start and three points that we have waited a long time for.”