Oldham boss Frankie Bunn slams ‘disgraceful’ display as Carlisle run riot

Oldham manager Frankie Bunn branded his team’s performance “disgraceful” after seeing them crash to a 6-0 defeat at Carlisle.

The Cumbrians could hardly score a goal at home earlier in the season and once went five games and five defeats without hitting the target in front of their own fans. But they have now hit 10 goals in their last two home games and secured a third straight win.

Bunn said: “We were defensively inept. There was a lack of will to get back into shape and position and defend.

“We have been solid until today. But there simply wasn’t enough of anything about that performance. No spirit. No intensity to defend.

“I don’t know where that result has come from. I honestly don’t know. We’ve got to work harder and show more resilience and manage certain scenarios better than we did today.”

Bunn added: “Players were taking too many touches and strolling around. You’ve got to do the ugly side first and foremost, which we didn’t.

“You can imagine the mood. It’s frustrating. It’s a result we have to hope won’t happen again. It was not a team performance I would like to be associated with. But we have to bounce back with more quality. That’s two defeats on the bounce and it’s a lot to stomach.

“It is a shock considering where we have been this last couple of months. We stopped doing the things we are good at. There is another game around the corner and we’ve got to come out fighting.”

Carlisle manager John Sheridan completed a double against his former club but was not entirely happy despite the six-goal rout.

“It was a fantastic result but not a fantastic performance,” he said. “We gave Oldham too much possession early on. But we were clinical on the counter-attack.

“Our front three always looked lively and moved the ball quickly and got some great goals. To keep a clean sheet was pleasing.”

Sheridan added: “I am a demanding manager and have been successful and won things doing it my way and players have to accept the way I am.

“I feared we might have buckled at 2-0, but we pulled through it. It’s nice to see a bit of swagger. It does good for confidence. That’s massive for us. It’s important to get on a run. Pick up results over Christmas and who knows where you could end up.”

Hallam Hope and Jerry Yates gave Carlisle a two-goal half-time lead and the Cumbrians cut loose after the break with strikes from Ashley Nadesan, Danny Grainger, Gary Liddle and a second for Yates.

Had Chris O’Grady managed to convert a clear-cut chance in first-half added time it might have been different for the visitors, but all too often they were caught out by a fast-breaking Carlisle side.