BARROW 3, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 4
Oldham Athletic are becoming kings of the road after securing a fourth straight away win in all competitions at Barrow.
It was a high scoring and often dramatic Sky Bet League Two match at Holker Street where Latics came up against former manager David Dunn and ex-players Chris Taylor and Connor Brown.
Following his spectacular winner at Exeter City three days earlier, Danny Rowe found the net twice while there were also goals from Ben Garrity and Conor McAleny on his return from injury.
And the goals helped Latics to a sixth win in eight games in all competitions as Harry Kewell’s new-look side is beginning to knit together with the outlook much brighter than the disappointing opening month of the campaign.
Latics remain 17th after the win but, in an amazingly tight division, they are only five points shy of the promotion play-off places.
Kewell made two changes from the side that won at Exeter as Sido Jombati and Bobby Grant replaced Brice Ntambwe and George Blackwood who scored in the 2-1 success at St James’ Park.
It was against the run of play that Barrow went ahead in the 16th minute, Scott Quigley turning well before bending home a shot from outside the penalty area.
Latics, who had started brightly, maintained their composure and Grant have come close to an equaliser, breaking forward before drawing a fine fingertip save from Joel Dixon, his angled shot then hitting both posts before being grabbed by the goalkeeper.
Kewell’s side found a deserved equaliser six minutes before the break, Garrity continuing his knack of scoring important goals from midfield. Cameron Bothwick-Jackson picked out his run with a cross from the left, allowing Garrity to slide the ball home.
And Latics went ahead in added time before the break, Rowe glancing home a header from an in-swinging corner from Grant.
Latics’ goalkeeper Ian Lawlor was called into action twice after the interval, first saving from Brown before he denied substitute Dior Angus at the near post.
With 11 minutes remaining, Matt Platt got on the end of Josh Kay’s deep corner into the box to draw the home side level.
Latics regained the lead in the 82nd minute as Rowe rolled home a penalty after Dylan Bahamboula was tripped by Yoan Zouma.
After period on the sidelines with a muscle injury, McAleny marked his comeback as a second-half substitute with a 95th minute goal, finishing smartly after a precision cross from Rowe.
In the ninth minute of added time, there was still time for Barrow to score a third goal as Dior Angus scrambled home from the ball to reduce the deficit to 4-3 after a captivating contest.
Oldham Athletic: Lawlor, Borthwick-Jackson, Jombati, Piergianni, Garrity, Rowe, Keillor-Dunn (McAleny 73), Grant (Blackwood 90), Fage, Diarra, Bahamboula (Barnett 84). Subs (not used): Bilboe, Whelan, McCalmont, Hamer.