OLDHAM ATHLETIC 4, BURY 2
Chris O’Grady’s hat-trick was the cornerstone of Oldham Athletic’s derby victory against Sky Bet League Two neighbours Bury.
And with the Shakers in the play-off places and pushing for an automatic promotion spot, it underlined that Latics are not too far from being promotion contenders themselves.
Though Latics are 10th, they are only two points adrift of the play-off places such is the congested nature of the division.
O’Grady, hardly a prolific marksman, has hit a rich vein of form as five of his six goals for the season have come in the last four games.
And with top scorer Sam Surridge back on the score sheet with his 10th of the season – he had not scored in six games following his return from injury – suddenly it is looking good for Latics.
They also quickly overcame the disappointment of their Checkatrade Trophy exit in midweek at neighbours Rochdale where they lost 2-0 to two injury-time goals.
With the exception of Tom Hamer replacing Cameron Dummigan, who was injured at Spotland, it was the team that started in the Trophy tie.
Latics made a whirlwind start establishing a 3-0 lead in little more than half an hour. Though Coalan Lavery scored twice early in the second half to make it 3-2 and cause a few ripples of anxiety, O’Grady fittingly had the final word as they stretched their unbeaten run in the league to six games.
Latics took an eighth minute lead when Callum Lang and Surridge linked on the right and from the latter’s cross O’Grady volleyed past keeper Joe Murphy.
And it was 2-0 inside 10 minutes when Surridge headed back across goal to convert a floated cross from Gevaro Nepomuceno.
Bury’s response was a free kick from Jay O’Shea that Latics’ loan goalkeeper Daniel Iversen did well to push away.
It was only a momentary lapse as they were soon back on the front foot when Mohamed Maouche had a goalbound shot blocked.
Latics grabbed a third just after the half hour when Nepomuceno played O’Grady clean through and he calmly slotted home a low shot.
Bury made two changes at the break and Lavery’s was an inspired
one as he found the net twice in the space of 11 minutes.
Lavery pulled a goal back with his first touch after
being picked out by Nicky Adams’ cross.
Bury then had a second ten minutes later as Adams again found Lavery to head home and give Latics a scare as they were suddenly no longer coasting to victory.
However, Latics restored
a two-goal margin just after the hour when O’Grady scored a controversial
fourth with Bury claiming a foul on Murphy, a barge similar to those allowed yesteryear
when keepers weren’t protected as they are today.
O’Grady’s header trickled
over the line with the striker as surprised as many others to see it given.
Bury tried to get something from the game, but Dominic Telford’s
free kick into the side netting was their only chance they really created in
the final 20 minutes along with Hamer’s super block in the six-yard box, also
to deny Telford
Oldham Athletic (4-4-2): Iversen; Hamer, Clarke, Edmundson, Hunt; Lang, Maouche,
Missilou, Nepomuceno (Lyden 90); O’Grady, Surridge. Subs (not used): Coke,
Graham, Branger-Engone, McFarlane, Norman, Swaby-Neavin.
Attendance 5,018 (1,262 visitors).