Collins Goal Signifies Battling Performance |
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Stadium: Galpharm Stadium
Coca Cola League One Game
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Kickoff: 3.00pm
Date: Saturday, 3rd January 2009
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Oldham Athletic were the visitors to the Galpharm Stadium on a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon but it turned out to be a cracker of a game in which Town really should have won.
It was all Town in the second half but just couldn’t find the killer touch to see off Oldham, badly missing a goal scorer as Town created some good chances.
Oldham too had a few chances that were few and far between to win the game but even the Latics manager John Sheridan admitted it would have been an injustice if they had snatched a winner.
Town named an unchanged side after beating Scunthorpe United the previous Sunday, Oldham came to the Galpharm unbeaten in eight league games.
Oldham took the lead on six minutes with a wonder strike, after Keigan Parker had a goal ruled out for offside after Greg Fleming had fumbled a Gary Roberts shot. After seeing it again on television it looked a dubious offside decision.
Jim Goodwin’s header fell kindly to Latics midfielder Mark Allot waiting on the edge of the Town area and he smashed a 25-yard volley into the top corner giving Town keeper Alex Smithies no chance in the Town goal.
Even Town boss Lee Clark admitted as a strike that would have graced any level in the world.
Twice Phil Jevons went close with headers then for Oldham to take charge in an action packed first half only for Town to turn the tables for the final half hour.
Town defenders Nathan Clarke and Andy Butler did excellently against Oldham’s experienced strike force of Lee Hughes and Darren Byfield. Midfielder Jim Goodwin battled in midfield breaking down Oldham attacks and Keigan Parker was keeping the Oldham defence busy chasing lost causes.
With Danny Cadamarteri named man of the match it typified Town’s battling spirit after going a goal down so early in the game.
They piled on the pressure with Oldham hanging on by a thread it was inevitable that Town would make the breakthrough.
They did so on 67 minutes, Roberts long ball up field was picked up by Parker, Parker slid a lovely ball for midfielder Michael Collins who hammered the ball past keeper Fleming and into the net to send the 16,000 Town fans into rapture.
Hughes might have snatched a win for an Oldham side whose performance fell below the expectations of boss John Sheridan.
Late on, Butler was close to winning it for Town with a powerful header from Town’s ninth corner of the game but Latics keeper Fleming making a great reflex save to insure Oldham took back a point down the A62.
Sean’s Star Man - Jim Goodwin I thought Goodwin took off from when he left off against Scunthorpe and I thought he battled in the Town midfield getting forward and breaking down Oldham’s attacks. I’d say the game was the best performance I’ve seen from Town so far this season.
Teams:
Town: Smithies, Holdsworth, N Clarke, Butler, Williams, Cadamarteri, Goodwin, Collins, Roberts, Parker, Jevons (Craney 74).
Subs not used: Glennon, T Clarke, Kamara, Berrett.
Oldham: Fleming, Eardley, Hazell, Gregan, Lomax, Whittaker, Allott, Maher (Liddell 74), Taylor, Hughes, Byfield (Davies 74).
Subs not used: Smalley, Lee, Stam.
Referee: J Singh (Middlesex)
Attendance: 16,951
Match Report brought to you by,
Sean Makin, www.Terrier-Bytes.com
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