COD FRIED BY HUNGRY LATICS
GUTSY Oldham upset the odds as they cruised to a sparkling victory against promotion-chasing Fleetwood.
A goal in each half sent the Cod Army packing as they were beaten on their travels for the first time since November, and they are now seven points from automatic promotion.
For Oldham boss John Sheridan, the three points lifted his team – unbeaten at home since January – up to 17th, three points clear of Port Vale in the final relegation place.
The former Ireland international said: “That was a really good performance from our team, against a team who, don’t forget, are going for automatic promotion.
“Our home form really has been excellent since I came back to the club, and on days like this we don’t look anything like a team that’s still fighting to stay in the division.
“We’ve secured another clean sheet, so all in all I’m chuffed to bits for the lads. It’s the lads who should take the plaudits.
“I’m just the person who picks the team.
“That team is knitting together nicely now, though.”
Oldham were exceptionally good value for their lead at halftime as they dominated the opening period.
They went in front after 25 minutes – though it was a rather fortuitous strike.
Paul Green whipped the ball in from the right flank and as Lee Erwin charged in to meet it, his effort flicked off the boot of veteran defender Nathan Pond before looping over a stunned Alex Cairns.
The Cod Army were never in it in the first half.
Ollie Banks produced a flying save from Cairns, while Erwin somehow scooped a chance over the top from two yards out.
The clinching second goal came nine minutes after the restart – and what a cracker it was.
This time Erwin most definitely struck, swivelling before volleying home clinically after meeting Aaron Amadi-Holloway’s precise knockdown.
Erwin almost scored a second just minutes later when his deflected strike was brilliantly palmed away by Cairns.
It was a rare dismal away-day for Fleetwood boss Uwe Rosler and he was furious after watch- ing his team slide meekly to defeat.
Rosler said: “The better team won.
“We just struggled. It was maybe one game too many for some players and possibly one or two games too early for others.
“They played the conditions better than us, but that’s certainly not an excuse.
“We needed to continue playing the way we did in the first 15 minutes, when we did look dangerous.
“We just need to move on now. We got ourselves a great result at Oxford in the week, but we just haven’t performed here. “We go to Peterborough on Friday now and we try to get three points again.”