Manager John Sheridan admitted a draw was a fair result yesterday against Swindon Town.
Latics went closest at the end of the first half but chances were few and far between on a frustrating afternoon.Sheridan said: "It was a battle and I was disappointed with the way that we played in the first half. Connor has made some good saves but I thought we looked a bit flat and stood off them too much.
"Connor has kept us in the game even though I thought Rob Hunt's chance was the best in the half. I thought we played second half, got ourselves in the game and be a bit braver and get on the ball more.
"The main thing was to get something from the game as Swindon don't gain any ground on us. It's a good point and we move on now.
"It's going to be tight but if we can win our home games and pick points up away from home then I'll take that all day long.
"They are a good team, they have some good footballers and they pass it around. We defended really well and Clarkey's block at the end was a tremendous block."
The gaffer was disappointed with the way his team played in the first half: "I wasn't happy with them and I told them," he admitted.
"I didn't think we were on the front foot and we stood off too much.
"You could see the difference when we got in and around them, we were winning balls in the middle of the park and breaking so they responded in the second half which was a good sign.
"I thought too many people were off their game in the first half but I'm not going to be harsh on them, we've had two great results and to pick up seven points from nine is a good comeback from us."
Connor Ripley kept his 13th clean sheet of the season for Latics and in front of him defender Peter Clarke put his body on the line to save Athletic in the final minute of the game.
"They are both having a good season," said Sheridan. "Even before I came they were playing out of their skins so they are both a big part of it.
"It's a team effort though, Connor is there to keep the ball out but it's great for him to keep clean sheets."
Watch the full interview on Latics PlayerHD.