Oldham Athletic suffered a 2-1 defeat to Crewe Alexandra on the first league home game of the season.

Only three minutes were on the clock before Christopher Missilou put Oldham ahead. The move began with great football between Zak Mills and Tom Hamer and then the right-back put a cross into the box which was met by Missilou’s looping header.

A great piece of football from Crewe nearly resulted in an equaliser for the visitors. After the nice bit of play, Paul Green put the ball into the box but Daniel Powell scuffed his opportunity.

The visitors found an equaliser in the 21st minute when a Crewe player lobbed the ball into the box and met the head of Chris Porter and his header looped over Gary Woods into the back of the net.

Latics nearly regained the lead when Mills had a great strike denied by Will Jaaselainen in the Crewe goalkeeper.

Moments later, the Alex countered and Daniel Powell found himself in on goal. He was denied by a brilliant save from Woods and Powell followed up, but Hamer was there to block it off the line.

The Railwaymen were close to going ahead when Oliver Lancashire was given a free header only yards from goal but again Woods pulled off a brilliant save to keep the defender out.

In the 41st minute, Crewe were awarded a penalty when Missilou brought down Powell inside the area. Chris Porter dispatched the penalty to put the visitors ahead and get his second of the game.

The Alex should have extended their lead early into the second half, Charlie Kirk raced clear on goal he tried to find a team-mate in the box but couldn’t find the intended man.

Harry Pickering raced down the left-wing and put a cross into the Oldham box. The delivery nearly ended up in the back of the net, but it hit the crossbar and then danger was cleared.

Once again, Powell found himself free inside the Latics penalty area, but this time he smashed his opportunity over the bar.

Crewe were close to adding a third goal in the 83rd minute when Eddie Nolan headed the ball across the Latics goal and landed at the feet of substitute Owen Dale. He had an open goal but his shot went way over the crossbar.

In 91st minute, Latics came close to equalising when Desire Segbe Azankpo got in behind the Crewe defence but his shot from a tight angle went just wide of the visitor’s goal.

Oldham Athletic 1-2 Crewe Alexandra

Attendance 3,884 (Away 417)

Oldham Athletic – Woods, Hamer, Sefil, Stott, Smith-Brown, Mills (Nepomuceno 45’), Branger-Engone, Maouche, Missilou, Wilson (Eagles 75’), Vera (Azankpo 45’)

Subs – Zabret, Iacovitti, Nepomuceno, Fage, Azankpo, Sylla, Eagles

Crewe Alexandra – Jaaselainen, Ng, Pickering, Wintle, Lancashire, Nolan, Powell (Dale 75’), Porter, Kirk (Ainley 89’), Green, Lowery (Jones 78’)

Subs – Richards, Jones, Ainley, Finney, Dale, Sass-Davies, Adebisi