OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1, SALFORD CITY 2
It was a desperately sad day as Oldham Athletic’s 115-year stay in the EFL came to an end following their home defeat by Salford City.
And there was the ignominy of Latics becoming the first Premier League to lose its league status.
Latics’ fourth straight defeat, combined with wins for struggling Stevenage and Barrow, ensured they will finish in Sky Bet League Two’s bottom two.
And it was former player Matt Smith who helped send Latics down as he scored the Ammies’ first goal.
The pain was too much for fans who invaded the pitch late in the 79th minute calling for owner Abdallah Lemsagam to quit.
And it resulted in the final minutes being played out in front of an empty Boundary Park.
Head coach John Sheridan opted for four changes from the defeat at Forest Green Rovers on Easter Monday. Nicky Adams, Junior Luamba, Hallam Hope and Kyle Jameson returned and there were no illusions surrounding the instant impact required to give the fans a glimmer of hope that they might pull off a great escape.
Latics started brightly when Luamba headed wide from Hope’s left-wing cross.
Smith, well-known for his Emirates FA Cup heroics for Latics, dealt his former employer a blow in the eighth minute of his first return to Boundary Park.
Brandon Thomas-Asante, who enjoys playing against Latics, exploited space behind the defence before his low effort cannoned off the far post into the path of strike partner Smith who poked into an empty goal.
Moments later, Ashley Hunter should have added a second as Danny Rogers pushed Thomas-Asante’s volley towards the winger who, with the goal at his mercy, sliced his attempt over the crossbar.
After Davis Keillor-Dunn raced towards the 18-yard-box, the attacker fired a shot on goal which was handled by a defender with referee Bobby Madley pointing to the spot. Latics’ leading goalscorer stepped up, and although the ‘keeper was equal to it, the ball was pushed over the line to give Sheridan’s side a leveller and lifeline.
Luamba found himself one-on-one with Tom King, however, the striker was denied by the goalkeeper.
Hope was handed a golden opportunity before the interval. King parried Keillor-Dunn’s strike over his own head towards Hope, and from a yard out, the Barbados international flicked his header onto the crossbar to the disbelief of everyone inside the stadium.
In the first half added time, the Ammies were celebrating once again as Thomas-Asante made five goals against Latics. Former Latics’ trialist Ibou Touray floated a cross onto the head of the forward and it looped over Rogers into the back of the net.
Hope had another great chance when he cut inside and curled an effort towards the far bottom corner, but King parried it to safety.
With results going against Latics, they had the ball in the back of the net as Hope bundled it in, however, the referee adjudged he handled it over the line.
Nicky Adams put Keillor-Dunn clean through on goal, but he flicked his attempt straight at King.
After fans invaded the pitch, the game was initially abandoned before it was restarted behind closed doors around 6.30pm with no supporters inside the ground.
The only moment of note in this added time was when Luamba’s sweetly struck volley from the edge of the area had the goalkeeper beaten, but it didn’t dip enough to find the top corner.
With results elsewhere going against them, Latics could not afford to lose, but unfortunately, they couldn’t snatch a late equaliser.
Oldham Athletic: Rogers, Clarke, Hart, Adams, Whelan (Vaughan 74), Hope (Couto 89), Keillor-Dunn, Jameson, Stobbs (Hopcutt 68), Missilou, Luamba. Subs (unused): Leutwiler, Da Silva, Hunt, Sutton.
Goals: Keillor-Dunn (33) for Oldham. Smith (8), Asante-Thomas (45+3) for Salford.
Attendance: 5,752 (554 visitors).