Friday 31 October 2014 17:51, UK
Lee Johnson has challenged Oldham to "slay the dragon" and become the first League One side to beat leaders Bristol City this season.
The Robins are on a remarkable run of form and the last time they lost a league game was in March, against eventual play-off winners Rotherham, 22 games ago. But Johnson's men are themselves in fine fettle having followed last season's 10-game unbeaten run with their current 13-game stretch in all competitions. And the former Bristol City midfielder is keen to show the rest of the division that the league leaders are not invincible. "That gives us the added bonus of - can we go and slay the dragon?" Johnson said at a press conference on Thursday. "It's very important that really we do it for the division; we want to bring that division closer together. "They've been absolutely flying and obviously they've recruited very well in the summer and had the funds to do it. I think they've spent about B#2million in transfer fees and you're able to hand-pick the best players in the division and that's what they've done. "They're a very good side but, as always, it's up to us to expose their weaknesses." Such a budget is unlikely to find its way to SportsDirect.com Park any time soon but Johnson has done an admirable job with a smaller pot, bringing in loan deals and free transfers. However, he acknowledges that the kitty Steve Cotterill had to spend at Ashton Gate this summer comes with increased expectation. "Actually, sometimes I think it's harder to have that sort of transfer budget," Johnson explained. "It certainly cranks up the pressure. If you do get a lot of money and get it wrong then you're in trouble."
