Winter blues for Latics as Shots roar back to seal victory

There were winter blues for promotion chasing Latics as they were beaten 3-1 at home by Aldershot Town at Boundary Park in front of a crowd of 5,960.

The hosts had taken the lead on 41 minutes through a superb header from Manny Monthe, but the Shots scored twice before half time to lead 2-1 at the break and added a third early in the second half to ensure that they completed a league double

“Hugely disappointed,” said Latics manager Mickey Mellon after the game. 

“My honest opinion coming in at half time was I could not believe we were losing – the goals we gave away were rubbish.

"Without being brilliant we were comfortable and were in control but if you give goals away like the ones we gave away…. we didn’t know what we were doing!

“We will recover from that because we have a big game on Tuesday.”

Latics had two players making their debuts in the starting line-up - Jordan Rossiter and Corry Evans - and looked very comfortable in the first half.

Mark Kitching had a shot saved on 10 minutes and Alex Reid’s header was picked up by goalkeeper Marcus Dewhurst before Evans came close to opening the scoring in the 19th minute.

His clever chip from 40 yards had Dewhurst scrambling but the ball bounced off the post.

Still Oldham maintained the pressure with Fondop beating the keeper but being driven wide, Reid fired a low shot which was saved by Dewhurst, the on-form keeper going on to block Jake Caprice and then dive bravely at Reid’s feat.

Eventually the deadlock was broken in the 41st minute when Josh Kay fired in a freekick from the right and Monthe powered his header home.

At this point it looked as though it was Oldham’s game for the taking, but Aldershot turned the scoreline around with two goals of a similar nature in the 44th minute and second minute of first half stoppage time.

Twice striker Josh Barrett found himself in space and twice he managed to chip the ball over keeper Matt Hudson to give the away side an unlikely half time lead with their only two shots on target bearing fruit.

Josh Lundstram replaced Evans at half time as the debutant had a calf strain as Latics came out after the break looking to level the scores.

But six minutes after half time, Barrett completed his hattrick when he found himself in space in the box and his angled drive beat Hudson and extended the visitors' lead to 3-1.

Latics then made three changes to try and recover the situation - Harry Charsley came on for Kay, Jes Uchegbulam replaced the industrious Jake Caprice, and there was a first taste of action in an Oldham shirt for Billy Waters as substitute for Alex Reid.

Latics had a clear chance to pull a goal back on 66 minutes when Lundstram was pulled down in the box and a penalty was awarded.

Waters fired the spot kick firmly to the keeper’s right but Dewhurst managed to push the ball onto the post to keep the scoreline at 3-1.

Still Latics pushed forward seeking to retrieve something from the game, Rossiter saw his shot blocked, Monthe headed over and in stoppage time Mike Fondop had a great close-range opportunity, but it was not to be their day.

Now the action moves to Tuesday night when Latics host York City in a top of the table clash rearranged from Boxing Day.

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