OLDHAM ATHLETIC 3, EVERTON U21 2
Oldham Athletic produced a spirited display to wipe out a two-goal deficit with their victory against Everton U21s booking their place in the knockout phase of the Checkatrade Trophy.
It was a remarkable turnabout as midway through the opening period, it was an altogether different story as Everton went 2-0 ahead and Latics looked to be bowing out of the competition.
But a couple of bold half-time substitutions by manager Frank Bunn helped spark the recovery as Latics came good with goals from captain Peter Clarke, Isthmael Miller and Jonathan Benteke turned despair to delight in front of a sparse crowd of 1,004.
Bunn made three changes from the league defeat at Northampton three days earlier as Rob Hunt, Dan Gardner and Chris O’Grady dropped out with Andy Taylor, Cameron Dummigan and Miller landing starting spots.
Latics almost took an early lead after Dummigan released Callum Lang whose shot was blocked.
However, the visitors took the lead in the sixth minute after Latics failed to clear a free kick and the ball fell to Nathangelo Markelo who struck a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Nathan Broadhead then cut inside from the left and saw his shot strike the crossbar as Everton almost went two up.
Bunn’s side almost equalised when Christopher Missilou saw his shot cleared off the line.
Everton capitalised on that missed opportunity as Markelo whipped in a cross to Shayne Lavery who tapped into an empty net to double the visitors’ lead.
It did not look to be Latics’ night when Miller saw a shot cannon back off the post and Callum Lang headed over.
The post denied Latics again as Mohamed Maouche’s corner found Clarke whose header struck the frame of the goal.
Daniel Iversen was forced into a decent save from Dennis Adeniran, before Dummigan forced a save from Everton goalkeeper Mateusz Hewelt.
Bunn took off Maouche and Lang at the break, replacing them with Gardner and Benteke.
Latics got themselves back into the game at the start of the second half as Gardner launched a free kick into the box which was flicked on by Benteke, but Clarke ended up bundling the ball into the net.
Bunn’s side were level five minutes later after Miller shrugged off the challenge of Morgan Feeney to slot home a low shot.
Gevaro Nepomuceno and Benteke forced a save each out of Hewelt before Gardner curled a free kick just over the bar.
Clarke then saw another header from a corner cleared off the line before Everton created their first chances of the half.
Josh Bowler cut inside from the left and forced Iversen into a good save before Harry Charsley made the Danish U21 international produce another fine stop.
Latics’ winner came with 11 minutes left as a long ball was misjudged by goalkeeper Hewelt and Benteke squeezed it in from a tight angle to complete the great turnabout.
Everton looked for the equaliser and Latics had only one anxious moment when Iversen denied Bowler.
Oldham Athletic (4-4-2): Iversen; Hamer, Clarke, Edmundson, Taylor; Dummigan, Maouche (Gardner 45), Missilou, Nepomuceno; Miller (O’Grady 90+2), Lang (Benteke 45). Subs (not used): Baxter, Graham, Branger-Engone, McFarlane.
The goals: Clarke (53), Miller (57), Benteke (79) for Oldham. Markelo (6), Lavery (24) for Everton.
Attendance 1,004 (39 visitors)