Latics super sub in derby delight
FOR OLDHAM
OLDHAM BURY 2 1 OLDHAM scored a dramatic injurytime winner through Aaron Holloway to defeat local rivals Bury at Boundary Park.
Holloway came off the bench with just minutes to go, and he proved to be vital, netting the crucial winner with virtually the last kick of the game.
Eoin Doyle had initially given the home side the lead during the first half, but Tom Aldred equalised for Bury shortly after the break before Holloway’s winner.
Latics have moved up to 17th place after the win, six points clear of the relegation zone, while Bury remain three points from safety.
Oldham were lively in the opening stages of the match and went close with a quarter of an hour on the clock.
Jack Byrne’s free-kick into the box was flicked towards goal by Doyle, but he was denied after a good save from Bury goalkeeper Leo Fasan.
Despite that missed opportunity, the breakthrough did soon come for the hosts as Latics took the lead on 24 minutes.
Oldham have displayed plenty of fine passing moves under Richie Wellens in recent weeks, and this was another, with Dan Gardner initially finding Craig Davies, before he teed up Doyle to smash home from just inside the box.
Bury had a good chance to draw level as half-time approached when Jay O’Shea had a free-kick for his team, but he smashed the effort over the crossbar.
Latics carried their 1-0 lead into the second half, but they were soon pegged back when Bury drew level on 47 minutes.
O’Shea’s cross into the box was met by an unmarked Aldred, who headed the ball off the post and into the net.
That goal appeared to give the visitors confidence, with the Oldham defence then put under a spell of pressure by the opposing players. Rohan Ince’s longrange effort went narrowly over the bar, before Jermaine Beckford wasted a good chance when he was denied by Oldham keeper Johny Placide.
Both teams turned to their bench as they pushed for a winner, with Bury substitute Mihai Dobre forcing another smart stop out of Placide when he fired at goal from 25 yards out.
Craig Davies had two good chances for Latics late on, first when he smashed the ball into the side netting, and then when his long-range curling effort fell narrowly wide. It looked like the match was heading for a draw, but with just seconds to go, substitute Holloway got on the end of a long ball from Placide and smashed the ball into the top corner from 18 yards out to make it 2-1 and send the home crowd into hysteria.
It’s now seven games unbeaten for Oldham under Wellens.
DLFA