Harry Kewell wants Oldham to improve home form after picking up point at Walsall

Posted Sunday, January 17, 2021 by PA

Oldham boss Harry Kewell admitted he is bewildered why his Latics side are much better on the road than at home after a superb second-half display earned them a 1-1 draw at Walsall.

The point was Oldham’s 21st out of a possible 33 on their League Two travels this campaign, compared to a paltry seven from 36 at Boundary Park.

They trailed to Zak Jules’ close-range strike on the stroke of the interval but substitute Davis Keillor-Dunn’s cool finish rewarded a second-half improvement.

“People are still questioning the way we are performing but if it was flipped and our record was perfect at home and terrible away, everyone would say we were making progression,” said Kewell.

“I find it hard sometimes to understand the difference because it’s a green pitch, white lines, referees, I don’t get it. I could understand if it was packed crowds but it’s not so it’s a strange one.

“It was a game of two halves and we allowed them to play their game, go long, get set-pieces and if you give someone enough chances to put the ball in the box unattended, they’re going to have a chance of scoring.

“It took us 10 minutes to get into the game in the second half but once I made the changes, there was only really one team that was going to win and it’s just a shame we didn’t get that extra goal.”

Walsall deservedly led through Jules’ first league goal, which the assistant referee adjudged to have crossed the line despite Harry Clarke’s appeals he had hacked it clear.

But they were left hanging on after Keillor-Dunn controlled a cross and beat a defender before firing home.

Walsall halted a three-game losing streak but are five points off the play-offs in 11th.

Boss Darrell Clarke said: “I thought it was important, with the injuries we’ve got in the camp, to stop the rot today after three defeats.

“You can see why Oldham have done so well away this season, chucking men forward. I thought we defended well up to a point then got a little bit sloppy with our ball possession.

“We were a bit of a patched-up 18 today with quite a few young lads within that.

“We are six points better off than we were at this point last season without really on many occasions getting my strongest XI out.

“It’s difficult at this level at the minute with the finances the way they are to have the strength to go into the market.

“It will be nice when we can get that strongest team out there because we are more than a match for anyone. Yes, we’ve got to get a lot better but we can build.”