PROUD COX HAILS HIS STONES BUT LATICS TOIL
INTERIM boss Sam Cox lavished praise on his Wealdstone heroes after completing The Great Escape in style with victory at Oldham Athletic, thus ending their faint play-off hopes.
Cox knew a draw would have been enough to ensure a fifth season in the topflight after steering the Stones to vital wins over Dorking and Chesterfield during his five-game stint in charge.
And his side sent the 200 travelling fans home happy as they rallied to this final day success thanks to a rousing second-half display.
Mike Fondop fired Oldham in front in the first half, only for quickfire goals from Jack Young and Sam Bowen to turn the tables soon after the restart.
Fondop restored parity with his second but Mason Barrett headed home the winner with 15 minutes left to play, leaving the boss waxing lyrical.
“I’m absolutely elated,” Cox beamed. “It’s been a long season for the boys, two changes of management and some tough results.
“Not a lot of people thought we would stay up but here we are, I’m so proud of the work they have done. Everyone has given nothing but positive vibes and hard work to ensure we have National League football to play next season.”
In stark contrast, opposire number Micky Mellon insists Oldham need “major surgery” after just one win from their last 14 matches ruined the Latics’ promotion hopes.
“We need to find players who can enjoy the level of expectation here,” Mellon said, reacting to a chorus of boos ringing round Boundary Park at the final whistle.
“We may have built this over-expectation of the group by doing well for a period, I understand there will be people who believe the dip in form falls on me. But I am saying, there is more going on and we have had a tough time since we came in.
“I said when we first came in that I thought we may be in trouble and needed major surgery, which is ongoing. We have tried to squeeze everything out of the players. I do the best I can with the group that I have got, but we’re in the business of winning football match and haven’t been able to do that.” Fondop put his side in front on 17 minutes with a close-range header off the crossbar from Devarn Green’s dinked cross.
But, after the break, Wealdstone came out firing, and found an equaliser through Young who was able to send a stunning header over Matt Hudson, off the bar and post.
And five minutes later they were in front – the ball falling to Sean Adarkwa, who scuffed a finish on the turn which trickled in after deflecting off Sean Hobson.
Fondop produced a fantastic finish from a tight angle to level it up before Barrett’s winner. STAR MAN: Jack Young (Wealdstone) ATT: 6,082 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Elliot Bell