Midfielder Jose Baxter says he’s getting back to his old self as he looks ahead to facing Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.
Baxter was in from the start against Yeovil Town for Paul Scholes’ first game in charge of Oldham Athletic and he says it’s the best he’s felt all season.
“I'm feeling a little bit sharper than I have been all season.” He said.
“The best way to get fit is to be match fit by playing games, so only time will tell when the games are coming thick and fast, but hopefully the more minutes I get the more up to speed I'll be.”
Having started his second game since mid-November, Baxter managed to get himself back on the scoresheet in the 4-1 win on Tuesday night.
The goal set Latics on their way for three points, but it was also the first goal he’d scored at Boundary Park since returning in the summer.
“It meant a lot to me on Tuesday and I needed it.”
“It was nice to get the start, get the minutes under my belt and to obviously hit the back of the net because it’s been a long time coming.
“It was nice to give the fans something to smile about, it's always nice to get on the scoresheet, but to get the three points was the most important thing.”
The arrival of Scholes as Latics manager has had everyone beaming with excitement over the past week.
Baxter is one of those looking forward to working with Scholes, but he has hinted that he’d like to avoid coming up against him in training.
“It's been great so far, change can be good at any time, but when it's such a big name it gives the whole place a boost.
“That's not just us as players, but if you go anywhere in Oldham now everyone is talking about it and if you want someone to learn off then who better than Paul Scholes.
“He's joined in a few times in training, luckily he's not been in my box yet, but he's nutmegged a few of the other lads.”
Looking ahead to the next game, Latics come up against an in-form Crewe Alexandra side who themselves are potential playoff contenders with four wins in a six-game unbeaten run.
However, Baxter believes that it would be the perfect way for Latics to mount their own challenge by getting through these three home games in a week with nine points.
“They're always a good footballing team Crewe, they bring good youth through and I expect them to come here wanting to win.
“It's down to us to not let them by playing our own game and getting our three points.
“We said on Tuesday what a week it would be if we could play these three home games and get three wins to get us back up to the playoff spots where we should be.”
With new optimism around the place, there is no reason why Latics can’t achieve something special this season.
Baxter is one of those who is confident in this set of players and he says the sides aims have still not changed from the start of the season.
“One hundred percent we should be higher, it's down to the lads that step over that white line.
“We've got results where we shouldn't have and we've not got results when we should have, it's football.
“At the beginning of the season, as a team, we said we wanted promotion and we're only six points off the top seven.
“If we can put a run together over the next few games, then there's no reason why we can't get up there.”