CHERRIES should consider either bringing forward their kick-off times to five to three or asking the Football League if they can play 43 minutes each way.

Alternatively, they could continue defending efficiently for the duration of the game and break the habit of having a brief siesta at twenty to five every Saturday afternoon.

For the third week in succession, Cherries conceded a late goal to deny them priceless points in their quest to either make the play-offs or avoid becoming involved in a relegation dogfight.

The latest beneficiary of their dozy defending was Oldham's Matthew Tipton whose 88th-minute clincher helped the Latics come from behind to secure an unlikely triumph.

Substitute Tipton was given the freedom of the 18-yard box and slotted home the winner from close range after gliding past a statuesque Cherries rearguard.

His effort deprived the visitors of a share of the spoils and brought to six the total of points Cherries have thrown away to late goals since the turn of the year.

And had it not been for similar aberrations against Wrexham, Port Vale and Walsall, Sean O'Driscoll's troops would be just one win from their manager's safety target of 50 points and also still on the coat tails of the promotion pack.

However, with Oxford seemingly doomed, the three remaining relegation places are still very much up for grabs and Cherries would be well advised to take a quick glance over their shoulders, although not at the expense of taking their eye off opposition strikers in the closing stages of games.

But in all fairness, unless O'Driscoll's side suffer a collapse of dramatic proportions, they should secure their status in the coming weeks and were prevented from edging closer to their target by a somewhat dubious refereeing decision at Boundary Park.

Having taken the lead through James Hayter's ninth goal of the season in the 53rd minute, Cherries were mystified when referee Eddie Wolstenholme pointed to the penalty spot after David Eyres crumpled in a heap following an innocuous brush with Richard Hughes.

Hughes made the faintest of contacts with his opponent who crashed to the ground like a sack of spuds and earned himself marks of 5.9 for technical merit and a perfect six for artistic impression for his impersonation of diving legend Greg Louganis.

But as the emergency services prepared to race to Eyres's aid, he surfaced after making a miraculously recovery and what had first appeared to be a career-threatening injury, did not even require any treatment.

After the kerfuffle had subsided, John Sheridan stepped forward to fire his penalty past Gareth Stewart who again guessed correctly by diving to his right, but who again was beaten by the ferocity of the strike.

Sheridan's spot-kick cancelled out Hayter's stunning volley which silenced the Boundary Park faithful and came following a sustained spell of pressure applied by the visitors after the break.

The impressive Claus Jorgensen played a major role in the build-up to the goal which arrived after the Dane and Narada had created an opening for Carl Fletcher whose eventual shot was blocked for a corner.

Jorgensen also delivered the resultant flag-kick which was half cleared by Shaun Garnett to Jason Tindall who hooked it back into the danger area where Hayter was on hand to smash the ball past Gary Kelly with a thumping volley from around 10 yards.

It took Hayter's tally to nine goals in just 16 starts and justified O'Driscoll's decision to keep faith with the 21-year-old on the right-hand side of midfield despite the availability of Wade Elliott who was back from suspension.

Hayter's goal also breathed life into a clash which had been on the verge of dying a slow and painful death during an uninspiring first half when Oldham had most of the possession and Cherries the better chances.

Steve Fletcher was denied by the legs of Kelly after outstripping the Latics defence to met Carl Fletcher's through ball, while Jermain Defoe was thwarted by the toe of Scott McNiven who nicked the ball away from the youngster as he prepared to pull the trigger.

For the Latics, Lee Duxbury's 25-yarder flashed just past the post, Eddie Howe bravely headed away a dangerous Eyres cross and Stewart saved from an acute angle from Carss who should have done better after beating the offside trap. Carss was lucky to escape collecting a second yellow card when Wolstenholme reached for his pocket after he had gone through the back of Hayter, but in line with his Spanish counterpart Jose Garcia-Aranda at Liverpool on Thursday, the official changed his mind and issued a stern lecture.

Stewart sustained a shoulder injury after falling awkwardly as he gathered an Eyres cross and one of Michael Menetrier's first tasks after replacing him was to retrieve the ball from the back of the net after Tipton had scored.

Cherries came close to equalising just seconds later when a fierce drive from Jorgensen was pushed round the post by Kelly and should have levelled in stoppage time through Chukki Eribenne.

The former Coventry man posted an entry for miss of the season when, with the goal at his mercy and no defenders in sight, he side-footed the ball into the grateful arms of Kelly from barely six yards.