Boost for Maamria as Latics defender returns for Cobblers clash

The 25-year-old Czech was sent off for a reckless challenge during Oldham's 6-1 hammering at the hands of Mansfield Town earlier in the month.

But he's available on Saturday and looks set to feature against the Cobblers, although the game could come too soon for right-back Zak Mills and midfielder Johan Branger-Engone.

"I can't wait for Tomas to come back into the squad, along with Zak and Branger as well," said Latics boss Dino Maamria.

"We've been quite thin and got a few injuries behind the scenes. But the lads who have been playing and performing week in, week out have been fantastic the past two or three weeks.

"Hopefully with Tomas coming back at the weekend it gives us a different option and I'm looking to explore all those available to me."

Since shipping six goals at Field Mill, Oldham have tightened up at the back and only conceded once in three games, keeping clean sheets in their most recent two outings against Walsall and Port Vale.

"Wherever I've been at I work from the back," Maamria added. "You need to build the foundations first to stop conceding goals, as we've been conceding a lot, a lot of them late as well.

"So the fitness, the concentration and defensive organisation all were a big concern. So we had to get that right first and then we've still got enough creativity in the team to score goals.

"In League Two opposing teams always give you chances to score goals but the best organised team defensively are normally at the top end of the table.

"So that's how I start building and it's really nice to see it come to fruition in the last couple of games with two clean sheets and if we get another at the weekend I'm sure we'll get the win."