Micky Mellon has urged his players to play with "more tempo, more urgency" after having to come back from behind to rescue a point for the third game in a row at Boundary Park.

Indeed, Latics have drawn each of their last three league games 1-1, and manager Mellon says they will need to be on the front foot more to start turning draws into wins.

Oldham were much improved against Southend in the second 45 minutes after a flat first half, trailing 1-0 at the break after Tom Conlon deflected George Moncur's free kick past Mat Hudson.

And half-time substitute Mike Fondop grabbed a 76th minute equaliser with a header from Dan Gardner's corner to secure a point "We've got to play with more tempo, more urgency, do things a wee bit quicker, get running in and among teams, don't let them sit in a shape where you're just passing it across and moving from side to side," said Mellon.

"We were much better in the second half and definitely got a deserved equaliser.

"But it was a good game, two decent teams at this level battling it out.

"We'll both be disappointed we didn't pick up three points but it was a real contest.

"We picked things up second half and looked a bit more like ourselves."

Mike Fondop celebrates his equaliser against SouthendMike Fondop celebrates his equaliser against Southend (Image: Phill Smith)

Mellon was encouraged by the qualities his side showed in again coming back from a goal down.

"People will get frustrated, but I think every credit to the players, certainly in that second half we got after them a little bit more," he added.

"We played forwards a lot better, picked up a lot more loose ball and looked more like a team that we want to see.

"We were playing too much around and not giving ourselves a forward pass, so we just gave ourselves a bit extra with Fondop.

"These are the principles of how we play, we don't say just play from side to side for the sake of it, when you've got the opportunity to play forward, play forward, and back yourself to be able to make those difficult passes. Take on the difficult passes and back yourself that you've got the ability to find a forward runner or find somebody to feet or a wing back then we can go and play higher up.

"We made better decisions in the second half in terms of making those forward passes, and we had a real contest against a good team."

And Mellon praised goalscorer Fondop for his response to a hat-trick of misses at Altrincham last weekend.

"Every credit to him. People will speak about character. That's character," he said.

"He should have taken some chances this season and we would have had some different results, I think the times that he got the chances would have made it different, but you've just got to dust yourself down and show some character and show some grit like he did today, and he's made a big difference for us, and scored a fantastic header.

"So I'm really pleased and he deserves a pat on the back for that.

"We need to see more of it, but that's what he's capable of."