Relegation strugglers Maidenhead stun Latics at Boundary Park
Oldham Athletic's six-match unbeaten run ended with a 1-0 home defeat to relegation-threatened Maidenhead United, compounded by manager Micky Mellon's first-half red card. Despite dominating possession and creating chances, Oldham failed to score, with Maidenhead capitalizing on a defensive error to secure the win.
Oldham Athletic’s six-match unbeaten run ended at Boundary Park on Tuesday night when relegation-threatened Maidenhead United snatched a 1-0 win and manager Micky Mellon was sent off in the 26th minute for an altercation with Miles Welch-Hayes.
The defeat leaves Latics fourth in the National League table, one point ahead of Gateshead.
Assistant manager Gary Brabin, who took over touchline duties after Mellon’s dismissal, did not hide his frustration.
”Really disappointing,” he said. “Obviously the result, but the performance as well, especially in the second half. The first half I didn’t think we were too bad, it just felt we needed to create a bit more in front of goal, but second half the tempo was too slow. They obviously came with a game plan which we didn’t feel was managed by the officials, so it needed us to quicken the tempo and get the crowd going a little bit, but it was too slow and that was on purpose from one team, not managed by the officials and up to us to try and lift that tempo. But we didn’t do it, certainly in the second half. We’ve had a couple of chances and there has been a couple that flashed across the goal. I think they have really had that one mistake and they have scored. Fair play to them for that.”
Mellon had recalled Josh Kay and Joe Pritchard for the suspended Billy Waters and dropped Josh Lundstram, and Oldham dominated territory from the kick-off. Pritchard dragged an early shot wide and, in the 17th minute, Will Sutton’s header smacked the crossbar. Pritchard then forced visiting keeper Craig Ross into a routine save and Tom Pett curled inches past the post as the teams turned around goalless.
The second period lacked the same intensity. Mike Fondop glanced a Kitching cross wide and, in the 62nd minute, saw a fierce free-kick pushed away by Ross. Two minutes later the Magpies struck their decisive blow: Tristan Abrahams’ long ball caught Charlie Raglan flat-footed, Shawn McCoulsky raced clear and slipped the finish beyond Tom Donaghy. McCoulsky almost doubled the lead on 67 minutes when clean through again, but Donaghy blocked at his feet. Late pressure, including headers from Fondop and substitute James Norwood, came to nothing, and Maidenhead left with a priceless victory.
Oldham travel to Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday.
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