Relegation strugglers Maidenhead stun Latics at Boundary Park

Latics' six-match unbeaten run came to an end at Boundary Park when a second-half goal by relegation strugglers Maidenhead United gave the visitors a 1-0 victory.

To compound their disappointment, manager Micky Mellon was sent off after 26 minutes after an altercation with Miles Welch-Hayes.

Oldham remain in fourth place in the table one point ahead of fifth-placed Gateshead.

Latics assistant manager Gary Brabin expressed his frustration after the game.

“Really disappointing,” he said, “Obviously the result, but the performance as well, especially in the second half.

“The first half I didn’t think we were too bad, it just felt we needed to create a bit more in front of goal, but second half the tempo was too slow.

“They obviously came with a game plan which we didn’t feel was managed by the officials, so it needed us to quicken the tempo and get the crowd going a little bit, but it was too slow and that was on purpose from one team, not managed by the officials and up to us to try and lift that tempo.

“But we didn’t do it, certainly in the second half. 

“We’ve had a couple of chances and there has been a couple that flashed across the goal.

"I think they have really had that one mistake and they have scored.

"Fair play to them for that.”

Mellon made two changes from Saturday’s goalless draw with Sutton United.

Billy Waters and Josh Lundstram dropped to the bench and Josh Kay and Joe Pritchard came in.

From the very beginning, Oldham spent most of the game in the Maidenhead half with Pritchard’s early effort just wide and. in the 17th minute, defender Will Sutton’s header rattled the crossbar.

Then in the 26th minute came Mellon’s red card with the Latics boss spending the rest of the game watching from the stands.

Latics continued to press for an opening goal, Pritchard volleying straight at the visitor’s keeper Craig Ross, and the lively Tom Pett fired past the post.

Even though the hosts were level at the interval at half time they seemed playing well enough to get a result.

In the second half Latics didn’t quite have the same control but still had chances.

Mike Fondop headed Kitching’s left wing cross just wide, and the leading goal scorer came close in the 62nd minute when his shot from a free kick produced a valiant save from Ross.

Then, against the run of play Maidenhead scored the winner in the 64th minute.

Shawn McCoulsky beat Charlie Raglan to a ball from Tristan Abrahams into the final third, the defender slipped and the striker took his opportunity well, beating Tom Donaghy.

It nearly worsened for Oldham three minutes later when McCoulsky was through one on one with Donaghy again, but this time the keeper was able to push the ball away.

In the meantime, James Norwood had come on for Kay and Jordan Rossiter later made way for Josh Lundstram but, despite efforts from Fondop and Norwood in the latter stages, the visitors held on.

Latics now go to Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday.

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