Manager David Dunn wants his side to be more consistent as Southend United make the journey up north tomorrow night.
Latics had won their last two games in league and cup but defeat on Saturday against strugglers Barnsley ended their three-game unbeaten run.
With impressive second half performances in those last three games, the manager is urging his side to be more consistent ahead of Tuesday night’s battle with the Shrimpers.
He said: "Southend are a good side and are very dynamic. I know Phil [Brown] pretty well so it’s going to be a good test for us. If we carry on like we played for the majority of the second half on Saturday we will be fine.
"That’s the important thing; we need to become more consistent and start playing for 90 minutes rather that giving ourselves an uphill task. We say it every week, we don’t get out the traps too well so that’s what we need to improve on and I’m sure we will.
"I want us to play for 90 minutes and not give ourselves much to do. I can’t complain with the second half performance on Saturday but if we can just cut out the individual errors out and play like we did in the second half then we are a match for anyone. “
The home form is something which Dunn is keen to improve and there is no better time to make that right tomorrow.
“We should be winning our games, certainly at home,” he admitted. We have to make this place a lot better and our home form has to improve.
“We are making progress and if we keep doing that we will certainly get better as we go on.”
One player who is nearing full fitness is former Southend United loanee Jake Cassidy.
The striker has been missing since breaking his lower leg back in August and the 35-year-old is looking forward to welcoming him back into the squad.
He said: “I’m certainly looking forward to him getting back. In training last week, he has been strong and his movement is very good. He holds the ball up well so I’m hoping he can improve us.
"One thing I don’t want to do is bring him back early and his ankle might be fine but he starts picking up little things and we lose him again. It’s important, as much as we all want to win, we have got to look long-term rather than short term.”
Watch the full interview on Latics PlayerHD.