JOHN Sheridan conceded that Oldham Athletic have made life "very difficult" for themselves in their battle to beat the drop after a 2-0 home defeat to Northampton Town, and a late red card for Carl Piergianni.

On an afternoon where Latics were just not at the races, the loss was compounded by wins for nearest relegation rivals Barrow and Stevenage.

Oldham replaced Steve Evans' Stevenage in the bottom two after neighbouring Rochdale were beaten at the Lamex Stadium, while Barrow produced a coupon-busting 4-0 win at home to League Two leaders Forest Green, who Latics face on Easter Monday.

Having gone into their Good Friday game out of the relegation zone on goal difference, their second defeat inside a week leaves them three points adrift of safety, with four games to go.

Latics are likely to be without Piergianni for three of them, after he was red-carded for an adjudged elbow on Jon Guthrie, which sparked a skirmish between both sets of players, while Sheridan's pre-match preparations had already been disrupted by a sickness bug in the camp, contributing to him only being able to name six substitutes.

But Sheridan said he would not use their circumstances as an excuse for a flat performance.

"It's difficult to take because of circumstances and where we are in the league, and we're at home," said the head coach.

"They're a good team to be fair to them. But it's difficult to take because we have to try to win games and get points and try to get ourselves in a position where we've got a lot of belief that we're going to be safe. But the performance I felt was really flat.

"I can't put my finger on it. I'm very disappointed in the way we played. We're at home and it's a great opportunity, no matter who we're playing, our home form hasn't been bad since I came here and it's a great opportunity to get three points and put ourselves a bit closer to where we want to be.

"There were too many silly mistakes and errors and things."

Sheridan was particularly disappointed with the free kick conceded which led to Northampton taking the lead on the stroke of half-time.

"Four or five free kicks we gave away in the first half was their best opportunity of scoring. I felt we were all right, quite solid and had one or two chances, and we gave away an absolutely needless free kick and it's a problem straight away, and my team talk changed because I was so upset with the manner of the free kick.

"You don't just go out and play a game, you've got to think about who you're playing against and how you can affect the game.

"It was a big downer. I thought second half they controlled the game, moved the ball and passed it well.

"We're taking corners and free kicks and our keeper's having to stop shots from them breaking on us.

"It's just a bit of organisation, that's all it is. We're very naive in some of our decision making."