OLDHAM ATHLETIC 0, SCUNTHORPE UNITED 2
It was an awful start to the year and also a new decade as Oldham Athletic lost at home to Scunthorpe United.
Back-to-back losses against Salford City and The Iron were a dampener, the latter in front of a pitifully low crowd of 2,972 at Boundary Park.
Goals from Abo Eisa and former Latics’ loanee Matty Lund inflicted the damage as The Iron halted a run of two straight losses.
It was also a miserable display by Latics and far worse than the 4-1 loss to Salford City three days earlier when they played some decent football but were undone by the visitors’ clinical finishing.
Head coach Dino Maamria had Alex Iacovitti back after illness to replace the injured Tomas Egert, David Jones back after a lay-off for the injured Chris McCann while Mohamad Maouche get a start ahead of Jean-Louis Akpo Akpra.
The opening period made pretty dire viewing as Latics failed to create any clear-cut chance, their best effort in the 29th minute seeing Desire Segbe Azankpo blaze wide.
Paul Hurst’s side broke the deadlock six minutes later as the dangerous Eisa scored with a shot into the bottom corner from well outside the penalty area.
The Iron started the second period bright with a few efforts, Eisa fired over and then experienced striker Lee Novak held the ball up and laid it off to strike partner John McAtee whose low shot was saved by Zeus de la Paz.
The visitors continued to apply pressure as Alex Gilliead set up Novak who blazed over.
Scunthorpe sealed victory in the 83rd minute as a corner found Lund at the back post and he had time to control the ball and squeeze a shot under de la Paz to double his sides’ lead.
Dino Maamria’s side thought they had pulled a goal back as substitute Christopher Missilou headed home a cross from the left, but the referee’s assistant already had his flag raised for offside which just about summed up Latics’ day.
Goals: Eisa (35), Lund (83) for Scunthorpe.
Oldham Athletic (4-4-2):de la Paz, Mills, Hamer, Wheater, Iacovitti; Morais (Maouche 45), D Jones (Missilou 64), Sylla, Morais, Smith; Azankpo, Akpa Akpro (Wilson 45). Subs (not used): Woods, Fage, Eagles, T Jones.
Attendance 2,972 (378 visitors).
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