‘Excellent’ Ammies must settle for point
OLDHAM boss Dino Maamria believes his side deserved more than just a point for their performance against Port Vale.
The Latics head coach was left frustrated at Vale Park after a number of missed chances meant they had to settle for a goalless draw in Staffordshire.
“I’m gutted we didn’t get the three points because we outplayed them in every department,” said
GRAHAM Alexander praised his ‘excellent’ Salford City side despite being held to a 1-1 draw by his former club Scunthorpe United at the Peninsula Stadium.
The travelling Iron, without an away league victory in over nine
Maamria. “I thought we were outstanding. We footballed them to death.”
The hosts were almost in front after just four minutes, as David Amoo’s cutback fell to midfielder Jake Taylor in the penalty area but he could only send his shot just wide of the post.
Oldham struggled for chances throughout the first half with the hosts in control of possession, going closest on 34 minutes when Chris McCann fired over the bar from months, started brightly and earned their due rewards moments beyond the half-hour mark – Kevin Van Veen rifling into the roof of the net after benefitting from miscommunication in the Ammies’ defence.
Their advantage proved short-lived however, with Cameron Burgess – who is on-loan from Scunthorpe – diverting an Ibou Touray set-piece into his parent side’s net in the dying minutes of the first half.
A buoyed Salford hunted for a second after the interval as Burgess again went close and Nathan Pond’s goal-bound header was hooked off the line, but the Iron proved resilient to prevent their former boss from clinching the bragging rights.
Alexander said: “If we were going off the second half, we deserved to at least score, which would have given us the win. I thought we were excellent.
“We were a little bit stagnant in the first half – getting that goal just before half time was good, but I thought range. The Latics started to take control of the game after the break and were almost ahead on 55 minutes when Christopher Missilou found Desire Segbe Azankpo in the area, but the forward dragged his low effort wide of the far post.
The Benin international would then get the game’s best chance five minutes from time as Jonny Smith worked his way into the area and squared the ball across goal, but he was unable to keep his shot from going over the crossbar.
BRIAN Barry-Murphy admitted the sending off of Aaron Wilbraham had a ‘huge impact’ on Rochdale’s gameplan as they suffered a 3-0 defeat at Oxford United in League One.
Dale were already 2-0 down to goals from Joe Ruffels and Tariqe Fosu when the forward was sent off for a challenge on Fosu.
Sam Long added the third four minutes from time.
“The circumstances of the day didn’t materialise in the way we had hoped,” Barry-Murphy told the club’s website.
“Aaron’s sending off had a huge impact on the way we wanted the game to evolve.
second half we were the team on top and really pushing for the winning goal.
“There’s room for improvement, which we’ll strive to achieve, but the players are feeling more comfortable,
“As a team, we worked really hard and we were very good with the ball as well, I think where we disappointed was that final third in crucial moments of the game,” the Tunisian added.
“I think they (Port Vale) got away with it today.
“If we had just that little bit of belief and conviction in the attacking third we would have won the game with ease.”
The result moves Oldham up one place to 19th in League Two.
“I haven’t had chance to see it back yet but my initial reaction is that it was never a sending off.
“I have full sympathy for the referee. There is a sense of panic for officials where, I feel, they judge a player to be out of control and they have to act.
“To concede two goals from set-pieces – which hasn’t been like us – was a disappointment to us.
“The lads gave absolutely everything against a team who run up huge scores.
“We were conscious of the fact we wanted to stay in the game as long as we could and try and provide a counter-attacking threat, which we didn’t.”
like they belong and that they can win games. That’s the most important thing – the feeling within the squad – it’s good at the moment and we have to make sure we maintain that.”