Latics vs. Crawley Town

Sky Bet League Two - Matchday 3

25 September 2020

Latics welcome Crawley Town to Boundary Park as Kewell's side still search for their first league win of the season (3pm KO).

The lads made a winning start to their EFL Trophy campaign in the week with a 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s.

Whilst Crawley picked up their first win of the season last time out, beating Scunthorpe United 1-0 at home.

The Red Devils finished seven points and six places better off than the Latics last season after the final game before lockdown finished in a 3-0 away defeat for the boys in blue.

Head-to-Head

There have been 10 games between the two clubs with Latics winning five, Crawley winning three and two ending in a draw.

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Oldham fell to a 3-0 defeat in the last game before last season was brought to an early finish, but it was Latics who were victorious when the sides met at Boundary Park last season.

Goals from David Wheater and Mohamed Maouche saw Oldham come from behind to secure a 2-1 win.

Watch Out For

Tom Nichols bagged the only goal of the game as Crawley beat Scunthorpe to claim their first win of the 2020/21 season.

The forward arrived this summer following his release from League One side Bristol Rovers.

He began his career with Exeter City and after loan spells with Dorchester Town, Hereford United and Bath City, Nichols started to make an impact at St James Park.

He was the Grecians’ top scorer in the 2014-15 season, scoring 15 goals in 39 appearances and also made a name for himself in 2016, scoring and winning the man of the match award in an FA Cup tie with Liverpool.

His form with Exeter earned him an undisclosed transfer to Peterborough United where he managed 14 goals in 58 appearances before making the move to Bristol Rovers.

Nichols had a brief loan spell with Cheltenham town which was cut short due to the 2019/20 season being cut short.

Familiar Face

The main link between the two clubs is Latics’ current manager Harry Kewell.

He got his first management job in senior football with the Red Devils, becoming the first Australian to coach a professional English side.

Another notable link is the much-loved Ernie Cooksey.

The player who gave his all on and off the pitch signed for Latics from Crawley back in July 2003 as he turned professional by stepping up three leagues.

He signed under the stewardship of Iain Dowie after his brother Bob Dowie, who was Cooksey's former manager at Chesham United, recommended the player following in the footsteps of Fitz Hall and Wayne Andrews who also joined the club from Chesham.

Sadly at the age of 28 in 2008 Ernie passed away after his fight with with malignant melanoma, a severe form of skin cancer.

To this day Latics fans raise awareness and funds for Melanoma UK as well as proudly displaying the Ernie flag both home and away whilst supporting the club to ensure his memory lives on.

In The Dugout

John Yems is the man in the dugout for the Red Devils.

John Yems.png

Yems was appointed manager at the Broadfield Stadium in December 2019 replacing Gabriele Ciofi.

Yems had a brief spell as part of the management team in interim charge with the Red Devils in the 2006/07 season.

In between his times with Crawley, Yems has had a wide range of jobs in football including being part of the scouting team at Newcastle United.

Match Officials

Referee - Darren Drysdale
Assistant Referee 1 - Paul Stonier
Assistant Referee 2 - Danny Gratton
Fourth Official - Martin Woods

The man in the middle has so far this season handed out 10 yellow cards and a single red across his four fixtures which included the Carabao Cup, EFL Trophy and League One, with his most recent game being the 7-0 win for Newcastle over Morecambe on Wednesday.

Drysdale’s last fixture involving Latics was over a year ago in the 2-2 draw at Scunthorpe. A game where he handed 10 yellow cards out in what was Laurent Banide’s final game in charge as Head Coach.

Sky Bet Odds

Latics are favourites to get their first league win of the season and are priced at 7/5. The visitors are 9/5 and the draw is 9/4.

Oldham won 2-1 last time the clubs met at Boundary Park and it is 8/1 for the same outcome this time around.

Please gamble responsibly, for more information visit www.begambleaware.org

How To Follow The Game

Fixture News

24092020 iFollow Codes Crawley

24 September 2020

Because the game is classed as behind-closed-doors, supporters can tune into a live match stream with commentary available for all subscribers on iFollow Latics, as Roy Butterworth and Mike Leyland talk you through the action.

This match is available as a live stream for the fee of £10.

Alternatively, supporters can also follow the game with live updates on the club's official Twitter account: @OfficialOAFC.

Oldham Athletic would like to make it clear that all fixtures are still strictly-behind-closed doors with spectators not being allowed entry.

Extensive guidelines are in place for the safety of officials and players whilst the events are taking place.

It is important you do not travel or attempt to visit Boundary Park on the day, especially with the new local restrictions in place.

Match Reports

Latics 2-3 Crawley Town

26 September 2020

Danny Rowe’s early strike was cancelled out by Ashley Nadesan’s goal before George Francomb and Tom Nichols put Crawley Town in control of the game. Latics couldn’t find an equaliser after Conor McAleny’s consolation.

New face Alfie McCalmont was handed his Latics debut for the game after arriving at Boundary Park on loan from Leeds United just yesterday.

Harry Kewell’s side had the Red Devils worrying early on as Andrea Badan chipped an inch-perfect long ball through to Rowe. The frontman controlled the ball around the goalkeeper and floated a cross into the area, but Conor McAleny couldn’t quite get onto the end of the cross with an open goal at his mercy.

Moments later, McAleny continued to cause the visitors problems and nearly got his rewards when he let loose with a powerful low strike the penalty area and it looked destinated from the back of the net, but Glenn Morris got down excellently to keep the former Everton youngster out.

Latics took the lead in the 30th minute as Callum Whelan floated a cross into the box from the right-wing, Rowe ghosted into the area unmarked and headed past the goalkeeper from close range.

However, straight from kick-off, John Yem’s side pulled themselves level as Nadesan got onto the end of a low cross and managed to smash his attempt into the bottom corner which left Ian Lawlor with no chance.

Only eight minutes later Crawley took the lead through their captain. Franncomb received the ball on the edge of the area before opening his body out and unleashing a powerful strike goalwards which cannoned off the post and into the back of the net.

The hosts nearly got themselves level just before the interval as Bobby Grant delivered a corner into the box which was met by the towering Carl Piergianni and his header smashed off the crossbar before a red shirt clear the danger.

At half-time, Australian attacker George Blackwood was introduced and he showed plenty of encouraging glimpses early on although he was on the receiving end of a late challenge from Nathan Ferguson which saw him get booked.

The Reds extended their advantage midway through the second-half as they were given far too much time in a dangerous area before Francomb’s pinpoint cross from the right-hand side found Nichols at the back post, the former Bristol Rovers striker headed it back across goal and into the back of the net.

Latics pulled a goal back in the 80th minute as a low cross from the left from Badan arrived at the feet of McAleny and the attacker adjusted his position to slot past Morris and into the corner which gave his side a bit of hope.

In added time, Oldham came so close to finding an equaliser when the ball scrambled around the penalty area and it fell to Blackwood, who opted to lay off Whelan rather than shoot, but the midfielder couldn’t keep his composure and blasted over Morris’ crossbar.

This result sees Crawley win away from home for the first time since August 2019.

Oldham Athletic XI – Lawlor (GK), Hamer, Jombati, Piergianni ©, Badan, McCalmonet, Whelan, Grant (Fage 67’), Keillor-Dunn (Blackwood 46’), McAleny, Rowe (Barnett 84’).

Subs – Chapman (GK), Borthwick-Jackson, Da Silva, Hough.

Goals: Rowe 30’, McAleny 80’

Crawley Town XI – Morris (GK), Doherty, Francomb, Nadesan, Frost, Ferguson (Powell 66’), Allarakhia, Nichols (German 78’), Tunnicliffe, Bulman (Hessenthaler 52’), Craig.

Subs – McGill (GK), McNerney, Davies, Galagh.

Goals: Nadesan 31’, Francomb 39’, Nichols 69’

Referee – Darren Drysdale