Wanderers have been warned to expect a full-blooded battle at Oldham on Saturday.

Boundary Park boss Neil Warnock has conceded defeat in the relegation fight but has promised that his lowly Latics will go down fighting.

"We're now playing for our pride," he admitted after last night's 2-0 defeat at Barnsley left Oldham with only the slimmest chance of survival and installed the Tykes as firm favourites to claim the second automatic promotion place behind Wanderers.

"Forget the business about mathematical possibilities. That's a load of bull. I'm a straight-talking Yorkshireman and the reality is that we're going down.

"But we're going down fighting."

Wanderers go to Boundary Park still 17 points clear of second-placed Barnsley with promotion and the Championship already in the bag. But they are determined to finish their record-breaking season with a final flourish by becoming the first club in history to do the double of 100 points and 100 goals in the same season.

And Warnock's warning should be enough to prevent even a hint of complacency creeping into their game.

John Hendrie and Clint Marcelle got the goals at Oakwell that put Barnsley seven points clear of third-placed Wolves leaving the impressed Warnock to declare: "They are the best side I've seen this season. But I haven't seen Bolton yet. I've got that luxury to come on Saturday!"

Nicky Spooner has ended almost three years of injury heartbreak with a new contract.

The 25-year-old full-back, who suffered a career-threatening broken leg at Burnley in October 1994, has been ever-present for Wanderers reserves since making the latest comeback of his injury-plagued career in January.

Colin Todd paid tribute to Spooner's determination to beat what he described as "a horrendous injury" and insisted: "He hasn't just been given the contract as a reward for coming back from injury. He's been given it because I want to keep him."

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