FLEETWOOD TOWN 2, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 2
How cruel life can be as Oldham Athletic found to their cost at Fleetwood Town.
It looked as through Latics would win their first game of the season after seven straight losses in league and cup until they were denied by Ashley Hunter’s injury-time equaliser for the Cod Army.
But on the positive side, Latics picked up their first league point of the campaign at the sixth attempt.
Latics had twice held the lead through Craig Davies and Kean Bryan’s goal-of-the-season contender only for Fleetwood to hit back through Ashley Eastham and Hunter.
After recent disappointments, it was all change as manager John Sheridan handed debuts to goalkeeper Jack Ruddy and midweek signing Gevaro Nepomuceno. Fellow new boy Queensy Menig was on the bench.
George Edmundson was also handed his first start of the season in a new formation as Sheridan went 3-5-2.
Latics took a deserved lead after 18 minutes through Davies but it was the great ball from Eoin Doyle who laid it on a plate for his strike partner.
Doyle received the ball on the right and delivered an inch-perfect ball on to the head of Davies who netted his second league goal of the season.
The home side responded well and equalised six minutes later when Eastham headed home a free kick midway through the half.
Doyle almost restored Latics’ lead two minutes later, but fired over from 25 yards.
Minutes before the break, Fleetwood should have taken the lead through Devante Cole who fired wide at the far post.
Fleetwood Town had two good chances to take the lead minutes after the restart. Cole was played through on goal but fired over after 51 minutes while Baily Cargill headed over from a corner.
The home side rued those missed chances as Latics regained the lead after 55 minutes, and what a goal it was.
Fleetwood partially cleared a cross, but it sat up perfectly for Manchester City loanee Bryan to hit and he thundered the ball into the top corner from 25 yards.
Sheridan made a change after 72 minutes as Aaron Amadi-Holloway came on against his former club to replace Davies.
The striker had an immediate impact as he got behind the defence but fired wide of goal.
Latics continued to create chances as Doyle missed his kick while Holloway headed over from a Jack Byrne corner.
The home side started to put the pressure on Latics in the dying stages of the game as Hunter volleyed wide, and Dempsey almost created an opening for himself.
Into added on time and Fleetwood had an opportunity to equalise when Edmundson was adjudged to have fouled his man inside the penalty area and Hunter stepped up and put the ball down the middle to draw Fleetwood level.
It was heartbreak for Latics who had dominated the second half, but they had to only settle for a point.
Oldham Athletic (3-5-2): Ruddy; Edmundson, Gerrard, Clarke; McLaughlin, Nepomuceno, Gardner, Byrne, Bryan; Davies (Holloway 72), Doyle. Subs (not used): Placide, Dummigan, Wilson, Banks, Menig, Obadeyi.
Goals: Eastham (24), Hunter (90+2 pen) for Fleetwood. Davies (18), Bryan (55) for Latics.