Relegation-threatened Oldham could only manage a point in their first game under new manager Brian Talbot after a goalless draw with Colchester United at Boundary Park.
And the former Rushden & Diamonds boss, who quit Nene Park on Monday after seven years, was disappointed with the outcome against out-of-form Colchester.
Talbot said: "Colchester didn't look like scoring but I have to be honest and say we didn't we look like scoring either.
"We had a few chances but I can see why it has been a difficult season here and I know there is work to do.
"The first job is to keep us up and we still need eleven points from our last eleven games to reach my target of 50 points.
"I will be working very hard with the players and maybe I will speak to the owners here and ask about the chances of bringing one or two others in." Colchester have problems of their own after sliding down Division Two. And they have now gone seven away games in the league without a goal.
But they defended strongly at Boundary Park where a poor 90 minutes produced few opportunities to break the deadlock.
U's manager Phil Parkinson was pleased with the result, saying: "A lot of people thought we would be lambs to the slaughter in Brian's first game, but we showed a lot of character.
"That is the kind of determination you need for an away point, especially when you know that the crowd will be up for it and the home players will raise themselves for the manager.
"I am just happy to get a result in the circumstances because I always knew this would be a difficult game." Oldham veteran David Eyres had the first shot of the day when he hit a 30-yard free-kick but Colchester keeper Richard McKinney was up to the task - and carried on proving that fact.
McKinney also made an agile save from Calvin Zola, spread himself to keep out Chris Killen and dealt comfortably with a series of set pieces thrown into his box.
Colchester's only clear chance came on 15 minutes but Gavin Johnson fired straight at the keeper with a shot from ten yards.