OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1, GRIMSBY TOWN 2
Oldham Athletic’s woeful home form continued as they were beaten at home by Grimsby Town, Sky Bet League Two’s bottom club.
That was a 14th loss for Latics in the league at Boundary Park where they have won only six of their 22 matches.
And in the table for home form, Latics lie third bottom, a stark contrast to fortunes on their travels where they have won nine times and they are fifth in the away standings.
Conor McAleny put Latics ahead with his 21st goal of the season but strikes from Matt Green and Jay Matete produced a great fightback for the Mariners as the win kept alive their slender hope of staving off relegation to the National League.
After the emphatic win at Harrogate Town four days earlier, head coach Keith Curle unsurprisingly named an unchanged side.
But, as so often has happened this season, Latics’ form remained wildly inconsistent as they were unable to build on that success in the spa town of Harrogate.
Latics almost made a dream start when visiting defender Luke Waterfall almost turned Nicky Adams’ cross into his own net after only three minutes.
It was not long before goalkeeper James McKeown was called into action to deny Callum Whelan.
McAleny had another opportunity in the 24th minute as Latics broke quickly but his effort was off target.
The striker broke the deadlock on the half hour after Alfie McCalmont did well to capitalise on an error from Matete before playing a perfect through ball to McAleny who coolly slotted home a low shot.
Against the run of play, Grimsby found themselves level six minutes later with Green, who was late addition to the starting line-up, seeing his shot bounce awkwardly in front of Laurie Walker on its way into the corner of the net.
It was the Mariners who started the second half better and a powerful drive from Harry Clifton forced a smart save from Walker.
With a win necessary to keep their slim survival hopes alive, Grimsby continued their positive start to the second half with Clifton finding Lenell John-Lewis who headed over when well placed to find the net.
The Mariners missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead in the 63rd minute with John-Lewis setting up Luke Spokes who fired wide.
The visitors got the goal that their second half performance deserved, and it was an absolute beauty as Matete drove through Latics’ defence before unleashing an unstoppable finish into the roof of the net.
There were bizarre scenes at Boundary Park with Grimsby’s matchwinner Matete shown two quick fire yellow cards but the referee’s assistant and fourth official informed match official Alan Young that he had identified the wrong man and the red card was correctly rescinded.
The game had an end-of-season feel to it and Latics were unable to build up enough steam to find themselves a way back into the game with a deflected McAleny header the closest they came to restoring parity and Marcel Hilssner sending his late free-kick over the bar.
Oldham Athletic: Walker, Clarke, Borthwick-Jackson, Piergianni, Whelan (Garrity, 57), Keillor-Dunn (Hilssner, 57), Jameson (Fage, 70), McAleny, Adams, Bahamboula (Barnes, 57), McCalmont. Subs (not used): Bilboe, Badan.
Goal: McAleny, 30, for Oldham. Green, 36, Matete, 80, for Grimsby.