Woking hit back to beat Latics

Latics missed out a chance to further cement their play-off position after leading and then conceding two early second half goals to lose 2-1 to Woking at Boundary Park in front of a crowd of 5,664.

Manager Micky Mellon made five changes to the starting line up from Latics’ last game, a 1-0 defeat at Southend in March.

Goalkeeper Mat Hudson returned to first team action with Tom Donaghy dropping to substitute.

Jake Leake, Jake Caprice and James Norwood were all ruled out with injury and Dan Gardner missed out.

In came Josh Lundstram, Jez Uchegbulam and Matt Worthington, together with leading scorer Mike Fondop returning and partnering Harratt up front.

Latics got off to the best possible start within three minutes against a Cards side still reeling from defeat to Aldershot in the FA Trophy semi-final on Saturday.

It started with good work from Uchegbulam on the right. His pass found Lundstram in the box who pulled the ball back to Fondop.

The shot was only partially blocked by keeper Will Jääskeläinen and Kian Harratt fired in the rebound.

Chances in the first half were rare, but Oldham led at the break although there were signs the visitors were getting stronger as the game went on.

And on 49 minutes Woking were level.

It all started with a move down the left and, from the ensuing cross by Walker, Dion Kelly-Evans beat Hudson with a strong header at the far post for his first league goal of the season.

It got worse for Latics on 58 minutes when they fell 2-1 behind as a long ball found Walker in space and his neat chip went over Hudson and into the net.

Boss Mellon made three substitutions straight away on the hour mark Tom Pett, Vimal Yoganathan and Joe Garner replacing Harratt, captain Tom Conlon and Jordan Rossiter.

Garner got the ball in the net almost immediately but it was ruled out for offside.

Still Mellon continued to use his substitutions with the fourth player Joe Pritchard on for Matt Worthington on 70 minutes as the home side sought to re-establish the initiative.

But despite a couple of penalty appeals, and efforts from Uchegbulam, Garner, Lundstram and a goal ruled out for offside they were unable to break the visitors down.

After the game, a dejected manager Mellon said: “The goals we gave away were really poor and very avoidable.

"We just didn’t seem able to get going.

"I don’t know why didn’t pass it enough like we wanted to.

"Managed to get through to half time a goal up which enables us to reorganise a wee bit.

"I thought we started the second half ok but their first goal was so hugely avoidable and then we were chasing the game.

"But then the subs came on and we definitely looked a better version of ourselves, but we couldn’t get that bit of luck and had a goal ruled out for offside.

"Hugely disappointing, but at this time of year you have to learn the lesson about what it takes at this time of the season.

"We have another game at the weekend and be that version of ourselves we want to be.”

Latics are in action next on Saturday when they make the long journey to Yeovil, before returning to Boundary Park on Good Friday to face Hartlepool.

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