OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1, LEYTON ORIENT 3
Back-to-back home defeats by three-goal margins is a worry for Oldham Athletic.
The latest loss against Leyton Orient came four days after they were knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Championship club Middlesbrough.
And already fans are voicing their concern with many believing another long, hard winter lies ahead for the men from SportsDirect.com Park.
It is a concern for manager Lee Johnson after the early optimism after a solid pre-season has quickly evaporated and replaced by doom and despair.
Supporters were streaming for the exits long before the final whistle against Orient who produced a masterful second-half display.
Yet in the opening period it was Latics who looked like emerging the victors after an impressive showing. However, after the resumption it was a totally different story as the O’s seized control.
Latics, without injured right back Brian Wilson and with George Elokobi preferred to Genseric Kusunga, made a decent start as Jonathan Forte fired them ahead after only 15 minutes with his third goal in only two starts.
Forte, recently released by Southampton, has certainly seized his chance with Latics.
Indeed, he was unlucky not to bag a first half hat trick as he was also denied by the frame of the goal as well as keeper Adam Legzins.
Orient equalised through Darius Henderson but, the half time scoreline of 1-1, was by no means a true reflection of the half. Latics could have had victory sewn up.
The break enabled O’s manager Russell Slade to rejig his side and they came out a totally different side.
David Mooney, a regular scorer against Latics, put the visitors ahead for the first time just short of the hour after Dean Cox and Henderson has linked well to provide the opening.
Substitute Kevin Lisbie sealed victory with nine minutes left to provide the 193 travelling fans with further cheer before they hit the road for home.