RAY SPOILS THE SCHOLES PARTY
PAUL Scholes insisted his Oldham team need to learn from their mistakes after they conceded a last-gasp equaliser to draw at home to Crewe.
Scholes had kicked off his first managerial job with an emphatic win against Yeovil and, three minutes into stoppage time, he was on course to make it back-to-back victories.
But Crewe defender George Ray scrambled in the equaliser from close range, cancelling out Callum Lang’s first-half lob which had given Oldham the lead.
Scholes, the former England midfield star now operating in League Two, said: “It was a difficult game for us and it’s disappointing to concede so late.
“In the second half we weren’t quite at it. We were making too many mistakes and, in the end, it cost us.
“It’s frustrating to concede so late. There’s just not enough time to get back up the pitch and do too much about it.
“We need to give Crewe some credit. They played some really good stuff and they’ve been in good form.
“We need to learn from games like this.
“Drawing against Crewe isn’t a complete disaster, but we struggled to create chances and the pitch didn’t really help us.
“That’s not me making excuses, but it’s a tough surface and it’s hard to really get your game going.”
Crewe manager Dave Artell was satisfied to get a draw. He said: “It’s a terrific point for us because Oldham are a good side and this is a tough place to come.
“I’m sure Paul Scholes will really get them going, but we persevered today. If either team was going to win it was Oldham, but a draw was a fair result.
“For 60 minutes we were second best and looked like we couldn’t pass to each other.
“Tom Lowery made a big difference for us when he came on. He wanted the ball, including when he was marked, and he wanted to get us up the pitch.”
Oldham struck after 23 minutes with an assist from goalkeeper Daniel Iversen, whose superb early kick sent Lang racing clear to lob Ben Garratt from the edge of the box.
Iversen was soon called into action at the other end, beating away Paul Green’s low shot.
However, the hosts remained lively in attack and Johan Branger wasted an excellent opening just before the break.
Zak Dearnley could have doubled the lead with a closerange header from Branger’s cross before Peter Clarke sent a 10-yard effort too close to Garratt. Crewe gradually gained a foothold in the game and their equaliser came three minutes into stoppage time as Lowery crossed to the far post and Ray bundled the ball into the net from three yards.
OLDHAM ATHLETIC: Iversen 9, Hunt 6, Edmundson 6, Clarke 7, Nepomuceno 6, Missilou 6, Maouche 6, Lang 8 (O’Grady 58, 6), Baxter 6 (Sylla 62, 6), Branger 7, Dearnley 7 (Benteke 75, 6). Subs not used: Coke, De la Paz, Stott, Robinson.
CREWE: Garratt 7, Ng 6, Ray 8, Nolan 7, Pickering 6 (Taylor-Sinclair 67, 6), Ainley 6 (Lowery 53, 7), Green 7, Wintle 6, Bowery 6 (Miller 75, 6), Porter 6, Kirk 6. Subs not used: Richards, Dale, Finney, Sterry.