Vimal rescues a point for Latics

A goal five minutes from time by Vimal Yoganathan saw Latics share the points over local rivals Rochdale at Boundary Park.

The 19-year-old midfielder, who is on loan from Barnsley, headed an equaliser after Latics had trailed for most of the game, conceding after just five minutes when Jay Bird’s neatly struck shot found the net despite Tom Donaghy’s outstretched hand.

Latics, whose starting XI was unchanged from the 2-0 win over Eastleigh on Tuesday, were on the back foot from that point and tried to get back into the game during a frustrating first half.

Mike Fondop and Billy Waters were continually thwarted in the final third, Leake’s cross come shot landed on the side netting and on the half hour Charlie Raglan headed over the bar.

But Dale, well martialled at the back by ex-Oldham player Liam Hogan, were able to cope with it.

Rochdale were not content to sit back and were always looking as though they could increase their lead on the counter attack with wing backs Tarryn Allarakhia and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling causing problems on the break which the Latics defence did well to stifle, and Jake Bird shot from distance just wide.

At half time Oldham made two changes – Shaun Hobson came on for the injured Reagan Ogle and Kian Harratt replaced Tom Pett, as they pushed to level the scorers, their attacks broken down on a number of occasions by a well organised offside trap.

At the other end Dale leading scorer Kairo Mitchell fired wide.

Three further Oldham substitutions followed, Jes Uchegbulam for Billy Waters, James Norwood for Fondop and Yoganathan for Tom Conlon as Oldham sought that vital goal.

It came on 85 minutes to the delight of the majority of the 8,611 crowd and the disappointment of Rochdale’s 1,484 away support, with Latics' tails now in the search for a winner, but the game ended with honours even.

“The first half was disappointing; we didn’t do our jobs,” said manager Micky Mellon after the game.

“We had spoken clearly about what jobs and responsibilities were, and we didn’t do that.

“We were too deep.

“It was far too passive for a derby. In the second half we played a lot more in the Rochdale half, battled away and we had to make a lot of changes because we weren’t quite getting what we wanted.

“We showed a lot more quality in the second half. We looked a lot better.”

Latics remain in the play-off positions in the table with just eight games remaining, four at home, four away.

Next Saturday they host Halifax Town at Boundary Park in another local derby.

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