OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1, COLCHESTER UNITED 1
Oldham Athletic created an unwanted club record as their Sky Bet League One campaign lurches to new lows.
This was the 11th successive home league game in which Latics have failed to win at SportsDirect.com Park.
And the draw against Colchester United in the basement battle leaves Latics cut five points adrift of safety at the foot of the table.
It was viewed as a must-win game for Latics, who have collected only seven of their 21 points at home, as they were up against opponents that had lost nine successive games.
And when Rhys Murphy gave Latics a fifth-minute lead, it was the perfect start in front of a depressingly low crowd of 3,535.
But with the points looking won, former Latics’ striker Chris Porter popped up with a late leveller for the U’s.
Manager David Dunn made three changes to the side that lost at home to Doncaster Rovers on Monday as Joseph Mills, Cameron Dummigan and Richie Wellens won recalls as the expense of the injured Richard Eckersley while James Wilson and Carl Winchester lost their places.
Latics made the perfect start to the New Year as they were ahead within five minutes of the game courtesy of a very well-worked free kick.
Mike Jones’ short kick found Danny Philliskirk who knocked it into the path of Murphy who made no mistake from five yards as he made it two goals in as many appearances following his return from a loan spell at Crawley Town.
Latics were on top in the opening minutes as Philliskirk struck a shot wide from 25 yards.
The U’s started to come back into the game and went close after 11 minutes through Richard Brindley but his shot from distance went past David Cornell’s post while George Moncur curled a shot narrowly wide on the half hour.
Latics were a threat attacking and after 37 minutes Murphy’s neat flick was inches away from falling to Jake Cassidy, running through the middle, but it just clipped the striker’s heels and the chance was lost.
Dunn’s men started the second half brightly and were almost rewarded with a second goal after 52 minutes.
Jones’ free kick found the head of Cassidy but Colchester United goalkeeper Elliot Parish tipped the ball over his crossbar.
The U’s came back into the game on the hour mark and should have equalised through defender Tom Eastman as the centre half headed wide.
Colchester were threatening on the counter attack and former Burnley and Bolton Wanderers man Marvin Sordell found himself behind the defence after 75 minutes, but fired over from an acute angle.
The warning signs were there for Latics and the U’s equalised with 10 minutes of the game left.
A corner into the box was not dealt with by Latics’ defence and it found a way past goalkeeper Cornell as former Latics’ striker Porter got the all-important final touch.
And it was almost the visitors that won the game three minutes later as substitute Darren Ambrose smashed the crossbar from 25 yards.
Latics had one last chance to get the three points from the game but Jones’ header from a Philliskirk cross went over the bar from 12 yards as their troubles deepened with only three wins from 23 league games.
Replicate that in the second half of the season and Latics will be playing League Two football next season.