BRADFORD CITY 0, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 0
It is turning out to be a miserable March for Oldham Athletic who are winless in six matches under Harry Kewell and latterly Keith Curle.
They have four draw and two losses – four points from a possible 18 – as they remain in the lower reaches of Sky Bet League Two.
This was also the fourth fixture of the season against Bradford City as they failed to make it a clean sweep having won the three previous matches.
New head Curle, still without a win from his first four matches, made one change from the 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe United four days earlier as Harry Clarke returned from injury replacing Andrea Badan in Latics’ back five.
Additionally, goalkeeper Laurie Walker extended his emergency loan in order to play instead of the injured Ian Lawlor.
The first chance fell to former Latics’ striker Danny Rowe. The 32-year-old made room on the edge of the box and blasted an effort on goal, but Walker parried the strike to safety.
Following that, the in-form Alfie McCalmont lost possession deep inside Latics’ half which allowed Levi Sutton to drive towards goal before smashing his effort way over the crossbar.
Latics should been ahead in the 16th minute when Marcel Hilssner’s corner found Davis Keillor-Dunn a yard away from goal, but his header was deflected over the crossbar.
Curle’s side began to get a foothold in the game and Clarke showed incredible vision to pick out Conor McAleny with a ball over the defensive backline. Latics’ top scorer saw his attempt from a tight angle comfortably saved by Richard O’Donnell, another former Latics’ player.
Just before the interval, Carl Piergianni headed into the side netting at the back post from Hilssner’s corner.
Shortly after the restart, Latics nearly took the lead when Dylan Fage raced down the right-wing and crossed for McAleny whose effort was blocked at point-blank range by a defender.
Minutes later, Connor Woods dribbled inside from the left and tried his luck, but his curling effort went just past the far post as Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars’ side looked to open the scoring.
Clarke, who impressed, almost got on to the scoresheet when a corner was cleared and he chested down the ball before volleying just over the crossbar.
Substitute Andy Cook proved to be a handful for Latics’ defence and nearly got an assist when he held the ball up before slotting a pass to Charles Vernam who was denied by Walker.
Dylan Bahamboula twice went close as he dragged an effort wide and then a 30-yard free kick was well kept out by O’Donnell.
In the last minute, the Bantams had one last attack as the experienced Gareth Evans dribbled into the box on the right but, from a tight angle, his strike went just past the post.
Oldham Athletic: Walker, Clarke, Piergianni, Whelan, Keillor-Dunn, Fage, Jameson, McAleny, Hilssner (Bahamboula 59), Adams (Badan 72’), McCalmont. Subs (not used): Bilboe, Grant, Ntambwe, Diarra, Da Silva.