MACCLESFIELD TOWN 2, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1
Pete Wild was furious after his four match unbeaten run as Oldham Athletic’s caretaker manager came to an end.
Wild warned beforehand of the potential perils of a visit to the second-bottom Silkmen who have been revitalised under new manager Sol Campbell.
And that prophesy proved correct as Latics were a pale shadow of the side that has done so well since Wild took temporary charge.
Wild said: “We were poor all over the park, too many people didn’t turn up.
“I don’t know if people thought we would just come here and roll them over, but we just weren’t good enough.
“Let’s make no bones about it, we got bullied. Our bubble burst with an absolute bang, didn’t it?”
Yet Latics made the perfect starting winning a penalty after only 10 seconds that debutant Urko Vera, the former Atletico Madrid striker scored.
Macc hit back with goals from Harry Smith and Scott Wilson to pick up three valuable points in their battle to preserve their Football League status.
Vera replaced the injured Chris O’Grady up front, the one change from the home goalless draw against Forest Green Rovers the previous week..
And to complete a miserable afternoon, Latics had Mohamed Maouche sent off late on.
Latics made the perfect start to the game as Callum Lang saw his shot blocked by the hand of Miles Welch-Hayes in the first minute of the game.
Referee Ollie Yates pointed to the spot giving Vera a chance to open his goalscoring account.
Vera stepped up and placed the penalty down the middle with Kieran O’Hara getting a touch with his foot, but unable to keep out the ball.
Macc tried to get back in the game as Fiacre Kelleher headed wide before Michael Rose’s volley was off target.
The hosts best chance came from a mistake by Peter Clarke as his back pass was intercepted by Smith, but Daniel Iversen produced a well-timed tackle to stop the striker.
Tyrone Marsh had a couple of tame efforts for Iversen to deal with while Latics were always looking dangerous on the counter attack.
Wild’s men couldn’t hold onto the lead as Macclesfield equalised in the third minute of stoppage time.
The ball fell to Smith on the edge of the box and he placed his shot into the bottom corner to take the teams in level.
Macc took the lead nine minutes into the second half as a long punt forward from Kelleher was misjudged by Clarke with Wilson able to chip the ball over Iversen.
Rose then volleyed just over the bar after Christopher Missilou had given the ball away before Lang had a shot blocked in front of the Silkmen’s goal.
Marsh forced a good save from Iversen as Latics were struggling to find an equaliser.
Their best chance of the half came in the 89th minute when Gevaro Nepomuceno struck the crossbar with a well taken free kick.
Maouche was then sent off for bringing down Marsh, judged to be the last man even though there were Latics players further back. It put the tin lid on a frustrating afternoon.
Oldham Athletic (4-4-2): Iversen, Hamer, Clarke, Edmundson, Nepomuceno; Sylla (Baxter 66), Missilou, Maouche, Branger-Engone (Hunt 66); Vera, Lang. Subs (not used): Dummigan, Taylor, de la Zeus, Sefil, Robinson.
Attendance 3,697 (1,826 visitors).