Monday 3rd April 2000 : Oldham match reactions

Roy McFarland was unhappy to see his men appear to settle for the draw in the second half of Saturday's match at Oldham.

He told the Cambridge Evening News, "We had weathered the storm but we just didn't take it on and we were very disappointing. I thought in the second half we were very negative in what we were trying to do. It was as if they thought the job was done and they were happy to see it out for a point, which is a major disappointment to me."

Neil Mustoe, on his comeback from a hamstring injury, worked hard to nullify the threat of danger man John Sheridan but elsewhere it was a lack-lustre performance in which United missed the threat in attack of the suspended Trevor Benjamin.

Young strikers Nathan Lamey, Zema Abbey and substitute Daniel Chillingworth worked and tried hard in his absence, but the big striker returns tomorrow to face Bury and the manager will be glad to welcome him back.

"We weren't able to hold the ball, but Trevor will be back for tomorrow's game with Bury which I think will be a big, big boost. He's scored six in six previously and if I was truthful I would say we missed him on Saturday without a doubt. We overcame it to an extent with our first half performance but we never took it a stage further after that," said McFarland. "It was very disappointing and we must learn from that because you can't afford to think in terms of settling for a point."

Lamey limped off in the first half with a dead leg and is a doubt for tomorrow, and although Tom Youngs is back in training it is probably too early for him to make his return in what look sure to be very heavy conditions underfoot. It has been raining heavily in Cambridge and tomorrow's reserve match against Norwich City reserves has already been called off.