SHERIDAN LOOKS UP AS JUNIOR STEALS IT
JOHN Sheridan hailed Junior Luamba’s late goal as “massive” as his Latics side won the battle of League Two’s bottom two.
But the 57-year-old played down the impact his return has had on the club, who have picked up four points from his two games back in charge, including what was a first win since November against the Iron.
Substitute Luamba got the crucial goal seven minutes from time, forcing the ball home amid a goalmouth scramble to earn a first win for Sheridan since his return to the club a fortnight earlier.
Victories have proved hard to come by for both teams this season, and they showed exactly why in an encounter that was played at a frenetic pace, but with little quality.
Latics winger Temitope Obadeyi was not far off target with a ninth-minute shot that curled wide, but neither keeper was troubled until first-half stoppage time, when a snapshot hit from 30 yards by Scunthorpe’s Tyrese Sinclair was gathered at the second attempt by Daniel Rogers.
The hosts should have gone ahead seven minutes into the second half but, after great work from Rekeil Pyke, fellow debutant Joe Nuttall stabbed a shot over the bar.
It was to prove a costly miss because when the home side failed to deal with a late corner, Luamba struck to earn Oldham a first victory since November and move them to within five points of safety.
“There were lots of good things, but the most important thing was the three points,” Sheridan said.
“It gives us a bit of belief and I’ve told the players to enjoy it.
“It’s nothing to do with me. The players have responded to a few things I’ve asked them to do, but I just really pick the team.
“It took a scrappy goal to win it, but sometimes they are the best ones. The ball dropped in a dangerous area, and Junior reacted.
“I thought we deserved to win it. We performed really well and credit to the players for the way they went about the game. I thought we looked a decent team.”
While victory gave the Latics’ survival hopes a shot in the arm, Scunthorpe’s chances of survival look bleak following a seventh successive defeat.
However, Iron boss Keith Hill, who handed home debuts to five new faces, is refusing to throw in the towel.
He said: “I’m still very optimistic and positive about our chances, and I’m still prepared to fight.
“We started brightly and tried our best to get in front, but while we’re disappointed to have lost we have to learn from this game and move on.
“This is a good group, and I’m determined to make the most of the last 18 games.”
SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Watson 7, Millen 6, Onariase 7, Delaney 7, Lewis 6 (Hallam 87, 6), Grant 6, Feeney 6, Sinclair 6 (Pugh 63, 6), Beestin 6, Nuttall 7 (Bunn 66, 6), Pyke 6. Subs not used: Taft, Rowe, Collins, Matheson.
OLDHAM ATHLETIC: Rogers 7, Clarke 7, McGahey 7, Piergianni 8, Hart 7, Missilou 7, Whelan 7, Obadeyi 7, Keillor-Dunn 7 (Luamba 7), Adams 7.5, Fondop-Talom 6 (Bahamboula 25, 6). Subs not used: Leutwiler, Stobbs, Hunt, Couto, Vaughan.