OLDHAM ATHLETIC 2, MORECAMBE 3
Oldham Athletic were beaten by Morecambe for the second time in less than one month as their defensive frailties resurfaced.
After the defeat at Morecambe in the Carabao Cup came a loss against the Shrimps at Boundary Park in Sky Bet League Two.
In-form striker Conor McAleny’s two goals – that is eight for the season and seven in the last four games – sadly counted for nothing.
That is because Latics, who have found the net seven times in the last three league games, are leaking goals at an alarming rate.
They have conceded 12 in the last four league games which is why they are bottom of the table.
Addressing the defensive ills must be a priority for head coach Harry Kewell if Latics are to have an upturn in their fortunes.
Morecambe, the pre-season favourites for relegation, have confounded their critics as this win saw them claim top spot with a fourth win from five league games.
There were four changes to the side that beat Doncaster Rovers in the EFL Trophy in midweek as Zak Dearnley, Ben Garrity, George Blackwood and McAleny were recalled.
Morecambe would have taken an early lead but for Carl Piergianni deflecting John O’Sullivan’s effort for a corner from which Harry Davis’ header was superbly saved by Ian Lawlor.
It took Latics 25 minutes to muster their first goal attempt when Blackwood and McAleny linked to set up Jordan Barnett who fired into the side netting.
The Shrimps took the lead three minutes before the break when Aaron Wildig, who scored the winner in the cup-tie, piled on more misery for Latics when he header squirmed past Lawlor.
Lawlor, who had pulled a muscle in the opening period, was unable to continue at the restart and he was replaced by trainee Mackenzie Chapman who made his first-team debut.
Latics were level in the 51st minute when Dylan Fage’s cross found McAleny at the far post and he cut back side before bending a shot into the far corner.
Morecambe soon regained the lead as Alex Kenyon, only yards out, headed home a cross.
It got worse for Latics when Derek Adams’ side added a third goal in the 64th minute when Cole Stockton converted O’Sullivan’s cross from inside the six-yard box.
Latics halved the deficit in the 90th minute when substitute Dylan Bahamboula’s cross was converted by McAleny with a neat flick, but it was too little too late.
Oldham Athletic: Lawlor (Chapman 46), Jombati (Rowe 69), Piergianni, Garrity, Blackwood, Whelan, Fage, Barnett, McAleny, Dearnley (Bahamboula 51), Hamer. Subs (not used): Keillor-Dunn, Grant, Jameson, Sutton.
Goals: McAleny, 52, 90, for Oldham, Wildig, 42, Kenyon, 69, Stockton, 66, for Morecambe.