Edinburgh fumes as decisions cost Gills
BEATEN Gills boss Justin Edinburgh pointed the finger at the officials after his team surrendered a half-time lead to lose to struggling Oldham.
Cody McDonald’s tenth-minute goal looked to have sent the Gills on their way to a fifth win of the season against an Oldham team that had not won since August and arrived at Priestfield at the foot of the League One table.
But substitute Freddie Ladapo equalised within five minutes of his introduction before Ryan Flynn netted on 89 minutes.
But Edinburgh questioned whether either of Oldham’s goal should have stood.
He said: “I believe that the two goals should be disallowed. I think the first goal is a foul on Chris Herd and the second one there was a player obstructing [goalkeeper] Stuart Nelson from an offside position.
“Oldham were a better team in the second half but we had some key decisions go against us.
“We started brightly and looked in charge of the game but in the last 15 minutes of the first half we retreated and that allowed Oldham to develop their game.
“Our mindset was to protect rather than take the game out of Oldham’s hands.
“We've got quite a few players coming back from injuries so hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to work out what my strongest team is.”
McDonald was the beneficiary of a superb inswinging corner by Bradley Dack and nodded in unmarked at the back post after ten minutes.
McDonald should have had his second in the 26th minute but his glancing header went straight into the arms of Connor Ripley.
Ladapo, on as a substitute on the hour-mark, scored with virtually his first touch five minutes later, slamming a shot from 12 yards past Stuart Nelson.
But Oldham were not content to settle for just a point and Flynn earned a muchneeded win when he pounced on a loose ball following a deflected Paul Green shot and slotted into an empty net.
Oldham manager Steve Robinson said: “At one down you’re fighting against the odds but we showed a lot of character.
“To come here and get three points was an incredible result.We had chance after chance and sometimes this can let the opposition back into it but credit to the team, they stuck at it.
“After 23 minutes we had our first pattern of play, string a few passes together, and after that the belief arrived.”