OLDHAM ATHLETIC 2, GRIMSBY TOWN 2
Careless Oldham Athletic threw away a two-goal lead and what appeared a cast-iron advantage as they were held at home by Grimsby Town.
Goals from Christopher Missilou and Filipe Morais had looked to put Latics on the cusp of only a second Sky Bet League Two win in eight attempts.
But it unravelled spectacularly as late goals from Jordan Cook and Ludvig Ohman left Latics having to settle for one point.
Latics made only one change from the side that drew at Plymouth Argyle as Desire Segbe Azankpo was preferred up front to Scott Wilson.
Grimsby should have taken an early lead when James Hanson fired over when you would have expected the experienced striker to have done better.
Shortly after, Latics came close to finding the net after Missilou’s overhead kick went narrowly wide.
Latics made a 19th minute breakthrough as Mohammed Maouche’s corner was flicked on by Tom Hamer and landed to the feet of Missilou in the six-yard box and he slotted the ball past James McKeown.
Just before half-time, great work down the left-wing by Morais and Missilou lead to Dylan Fage running at the Grimsby defence and he crossed to Maouche, but he couldn’t direct his attempt on target.
Moments into the second-half, Hanson nodded a ball down to Jake Hessenthaler on the edge of the box and his strike was brilliantly blocked by David Wheater.
Latics’ captain nearly doubled his side’s lead in the 50th minute as he towered above his marker from a cross, but his header went just wide of the Grimsby goal.
Again, great work down the left-wing by Morais resulted in him crossing into the box. The ball was cleared but only to Johan Branger-Engone whose strike went over the crossbar.
Latics doubled their lead in the 66th minute when Azankpo delivered a great cross in from the right and it found Morais and he placed his header into the bottom corner.
Gary Woods then denied Ogbu with a smart save as the forward found space for an angled shot..
Grimsby pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute when a low driven cross came into Latics’ box and after Hanson miss kicked it, it fell to Cook who slotted home.
Minutes later, a fantastic run by substitute Jonny Smith saw him lay the ball off to Azankpo, but the striker was denied by McKeown.
The visitors should have been level as Ogbu was given a free header only yards away from goal from a corner, but the forward couldn’t keep his header down.
Grimsby found an equaliser in the 90th minute as a cross came into the box and found Ohman and he headed past Woods to snatch the Mariners a point.
Oldham Athletic (4-1-4-1): Woods; Hamer, Wheater, Iacovitti, Fage; Sylla, Branger-Engone (Smith 73),Missilou, Maouche, Morias (Mills 90); Azankpo. Subs (not used): Zabret, Stott, Eagles, Vera, Wilson.
Goals: Missilou (19), Morais (66) for Oldham. Cook (73), Ohman (90) for Grimsby.
Attendance: 3,789 (783 visitors).