Latics remain pointless after Crawley defeat

Reporter: Jon Chubb
Date published: 28 September 2020


Oldham Athletic are now just one of four teams in League Two who are yet to register a single point for the new season after a late fightback came up short at home to Crawley Town.

Fellow strugglers Southend, Bolton and Grimsby who’s game was called off due to a Covid-19 outbreak, are the others who haven’t claimed a point thus far from their opening games and occupy the bottom four spots in the table.

However it could’ve been so different for Harry Kewell’s men had they been more successful in front of goal.

In truth that was the difference between the two sides with Crawley taking their chances while Latics were made to regret missing theirs.

It was Oldham who struck first though, Danny Rowe glanced home Callum Whelan’s cross to give Latics their first goal of the League Two season, however that marker seemed to awake the visitors as they made Oldham pay.

Less than a minute later the game was all square, Tarryn Allarakhia providing the cross for Ashley Nadesan to pop past Ian Lawlor.

It wouldn’t stay all square for long as Crawley ensured they’d go in at halftime with the lead, Nadesan went from goal scorer to provider as he set up George Francomb to get he visitor’s noses in front.

Oldham came out the better of the two sides after the interval but it was Crawley who would trouble the scorers next, extending their lead to 3-1, this time it was Francomb’s turn to provide the assist for Tom Nichols to nod past Lawlor.

Latics did get back in the game with ten minutes left through Conor McAleny but it was all too late as Oldham were left to rue missed chances including hitting the crossbar in first half stoppage time and Callum Whelan fluffed his lines late on which would’ve earned Oldham their first point of the season.

But it wasn’t to be and that elusive first point continues to evade Harry Kewell, they’ll next attempted to get themselves going away at Colchester United on Saturday (3rd October).

The defeat to Crawley leaves Latics 21st in the League Two table.

 


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