Point made in Oldham Athletic’s play-off pilgrimage
Half by half, point by point, Oldham Athletic’s journey to the play-offs and a possible return to the promised land of the Football League is feeling more like a pilgrimage by the game. And it is not without its challenges.
After decades in the doldrums there is a chink of hope that there could finally be something to celebrate this season.
But if Latics are going to do it, you suspect it will be the hard way. And if that isn’t of their own making – with Boundary Park not the fortress they would want or expect it to be – it will be the opposition making life difficult, especially if the last two games (three at home if you count Kidderminster too) are anything to go by.
Two home games in four days should have presented a real opportunity to close the gap on second and third place.
Southend are a team that would be up there pushing for the top seven had it not been for a 10-point deduction, and they played as such on Saturday.
Latics took the lead through Nathan Sheron, the midfielder atoning for a gilt-edged first half chance that was kept out by the keeper by finishing well on the hour.
But they were unable to kick on from there and Southend battled back for a share of the spoils.
Fast forward four days and Bromley, who were second going into the game, were a different proposition. They only really looked dangerous on the counter, but they were obstinate at the back.
Goalkeeper Grant Smith set the tone with two saves inside the opening 10 minutes from Joe Garner. The striker will be disappointed not to score with at least one of them but Smith produced the spectacular to stop him.
James Norwood has yet to find his fitness and add a bit of polish to the shooting boots that have brought him 17 goals this season.
More are needed if Latics are going to get where they want to go, but at least now manager Micky Mellon has options, with Andrew Dallas available again too.
The Latics boss opted to start with Norwood and Garner but brought Dallas into the mix for the former in the second half.
It was perhaps a surprising decision that Dallas got the first nod, given the fruitful partnership of Garner and Mike Fondop in Norwood’s absence. But Fondop did feature later on.
Both substitutes looked to have an impact but were instead impacted by refereeing decisions. Fondop had not been on long when he chested the ball down, turned and volleyed. His skilful effort went narrowly wide of the angle but in the process of his fluid move the referee had blown for a handball offence that only he had seen.
An earlier decision against Dallas was worse. Sprinting toe-to-toe with Alex Kirk down the left channel he got away from his marker and had the goal at his mercy, but he was stopped in his tracks by a free kick against him.
But free kicks and foul throws were a feature of the game and severely disrupted the flow of it.
At this stage of the season, though, Mellon will take points over performances, albeit only two from a possible six at home.
“To get ourselves into this position from where we came we have to say ‘well done guys’,” said Mellon, recognising the climb up the table.
There is still a way to go, but Latics are at least on the right track.
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