OLDHAM ATHLETIC 0, CHESTERFIELD 0
Safe from relegation, Oldham Athletic caretaker manager Dean Holden experimented in the home game against play-off club Chesterfield.
Anthony Gerrard, Timothee Dieng and Rhys Murphy were all given starting spots in the penultimate home league game of the season in Sky Bet League One.
And with youngsters Jordan Bove, Jack Tuohy and Devante Jacobs on the bench, it was a youthful line up which played out a goalless draw in a game of few chances.
Latics, in fairness, will be delighted with the clean sheet after a solid defensive display, though they lacked a cutting edge in the absence of injured top scorer Jonathan Forte, Dominic Poloen and Rhys Turner.
The Spireites ought to have taken the lead after 10 minutes when Gerrard was dispossessed leaving Gary Roberts free to race clear, but the defence got back to cover.
Latics had to wait until midway through the half before creating their first chance when left-back Connor Brown’s drive from the edge of the box brought a decent save from keeper Tommy Lee.
Murphy then had Latics’ best chance of the game when his initial shot was blocked by defender Ian Evatt and his acrobatic follow-up effort was kept out by the alert Lee.
Minutes later Armand Gnanduillet shot wide and that was quickly followed by an effort from Sam Clucas which was well saved by Joel Coleman.
Early in the second half Mike Jones was denied by Lee as Latics looked to make the breakthrough.
Chesterfield then came alive as Jimmy Ryan’s 25-yarder whistled just wide of the upright then Jay O’Shea was denied by a last-ditch tackle by Brown.
Latics brought on Bove and fit-again defender George Elokobi as they looked to make a breakthrough.
Chesterfield so nearly won the game in the last 10 minutes when Clucas saw a header strike the upright and Evatt was denied by a super save from Coleman.
And in the dying embers of the game, Coleman excelled again tipping a shot from Clucas over the crossbar.