MATCH PREVIEW: Stevenage vs. Latics

18 September 2020

Latics travel to the Lamex Stadium for their second league game of the season and will be back in the black and gold at the weekend. (3pm KO).

Harry Kewell’s side will be looking to bounce back after two disappointing results over the last week, Latics fell to successive 1-0 defeats in both the Sky Bet League Two opener against Leyton Orient and the Second Round of the Carabao Cup at Morecambe.

Stevenage are yet to register a win this season. They lost out on penalties to Sky Bet League One side Portsmouth in the cup before a 1-1 draw with Sky Bet League Two new boys Barrow.

In the last league campaign, Oldham finished 19 points better off than Stevenage and would have been relegated to the National League if it wasn’t for a points deduction for Macclesfield.

Head-to-Head

There have been nine previous meetings between the two clubs of which Latics have won three.

Latics last win in this fixture came in January 2014 with a goal from James Wesolowski netting the only goal of the game.

Due to the season being curtailed early, Oldham only played Boro once last season. The sides played out a goalless draw at Broadhall Way, a result that stretched the host’s winless run to 11 league games.

Watch Out For

Inih Effiong has enjoyed a good start to the season with one goal and one assist in his first two games as a Stevenage player.

He got the assist for Boro’s third goal against Portsmouth in the cup and was then the only Stevenage player to manage to convert his spot kick in the shootout that followed the 3-3 draw.

Effiong also made no mistake from 12-yards out in their first league game of the season to earn a point against newly promoted Barrow.

Enih Effiong.jpg

The 29-year-old has played all of his career in non-league before he earnt a move to Scottish Premiership side Ross County, but he was unable to have a telling impact north of the border and subsequently Effiong made the move back to non-league with Dover Athletic.

He netted a solid 16 goals in 36 appearances in the last campaign with Dover which earnt him his shot at the Football League with Stevenage.

Stadium

Stevenage play at the Lamex Stadium, however it is probably better known as Broadhall Way before changing its name due to sponsorship reasons.

Lamex Stadium.jpg

The 7,800-capacity ground was built in 1961 and has played host to various versions of Stevenage football clubs.

The record attendance at the Lamex is 8,040 for Stevenage’s FA Cup fourth round game against Premier League side Newcastle United in 1998.

Latics last victory at this ground was a seven-goal thriller in August 2013. A late Jose Baxter penalty ensured all three points for Oldham.

In The Dugout

In the home dugout is Alex Revell.

This is Revell’s first job in management and he is yet to get his first win in management. He only took charge of two league games in the 2019/20 season as a result of the season ending prematurely.

Revell finished his playing career with Boro, retiring in July 2019 but he stayed on with the club, accepting a role as manager of the Under-18 side.

In January 2020, it was announced that Revell would come out of retirement to help the team in their ongoing relegation battle whilst retaining his coaching duties.

However, as a result of Graham Westley resigning as manager at the Lamex stadium, Revell was given the manager’s job in February.

Match Officials

Referee - Charles Breakspear
Assistant Referees - Grant Taylor and Louis Marks
Fourth Official - Michael Webb

Charles Breakspear.jpg

Charles Breakspear last officiated a Latics game on Saturday 7 March 2020 in a 3-0 away defeat against Crawley Town.

Last season, Breakspear officiated 28 games, brandishing 138 yellow cards and 12 red cards.

Sky Bet Odds

Latics are 9/5 to take all three points against Stevenage, the hosts are 29/20 to get their first win of the season and the draw is 11/5.

Danny Rowe and Zak Dearnley are the joint favourite Oldham players to grab the first goal at 5/1.

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

How To Follow The Game

Because the game is still classed as behind-closed-doors, supporters can tune into live commentary, whilst people can also obtain a Match Pass for £10 on iFollow Latics, with Roy Butterworth and Michael Brown talking you through the action.

Visit the Live Match Centre to access form guides, live text commentary and live audio commentary

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

Match Reports

Stevenage 3-0 Latics

19 September 2020

Stevenage condemned Latics to their second league defeat of the season following second-half goals from Elliot Osborne, Luther James-Wildin and Luke Prosser.

To add to the misery, just ahead of kick-off in the warm-up striker Zak Dearnley pulled up with a groin strain meaning a late change had to be made. His direct replacement would be Danny Rowe who got the nod to partner McAleny up top.

The hosts started the clash brightly though having the first two major chances, the first arrived after a sloppy pass by Callum Whelan was intercepted just outside the area before the ball was laid off to Osbourne, but his low strike went past the post.

Just moments later, a cross from the right-hand side found Danny Newton free at the back post and he struck it first time, but Latics shot-stopper Ian Lawlor showed impressive reflexes to deny the forward.

Harry Kewell’s side grew into the game and their first opportunity came as Conor McAleny found space at the back post, but he flicked his effort wide of Jamie Cumming’s goal.

In the 31st minute, Whelan played a clever ball out wide to Tom Hamer and the onrushing right-back produced a dangerous low cross which found Davis Keillor-Dunn on the edge of the six-yard box, but he couldn’t find space to let loose.

Lawlor was called into action just before the half-time whistle as the ball rolled to Arthur Read around 25-yards away from goal and got his over the ball to blast an effort on goal, but the goalkeeper got up well to tip the strike over for a corner-kick.

Boro were fast out of the blocks in the second period as Read delivered a free-kick from the right-hand side and it landed perfectly on the head of central defender Prosser, but his header just couldn’t find its way into the back of the net.

However, Alex Revell’s side broke the deadlock in the 60th minute as the pacey Elliot List raced down the right-wing to the byline before finding Osborne with a low cross and the midfielder stayed composed to slot past Lawlor with a first-time strike.

Shortly after, the referee pointed to the spot as skipper Carl Piergianni brought Scott Cuthbert down inside the area from a corner. Inih Effiong, who scored a penalty last weekend on his debut, was denied from 12-yards by Lawlor.

The hosts doubled their lead just minutes after missing the penalty when the ball came to James-Wildin inside the box and his strike deflected off an Oldham defender, looped over the goalkeeper and hit the back of the net.

Latics tried to find a way back into the game as McAleny blasted an effort from range which dipped at the perfect time, but Cumming managed to get a hand onto it.

Stevenage sealed their first home win at the Broadhall Way since October 2019 as Prosser got up highest from a corner and powerfully directed his close range header into the goal.

Oldham looked to pull a goal back but couldn’t break down Boro’s backline meaning that this is the first time since December 2017 that Latics have failed to score in three consecutive games.

Stevenage XI – Cumming (GK), James-Wildin, Cuthbert ©, Prosser, Osborne, Effiong (Marsh 79’), Newton, Hutton, List, Read (Vincelot 77’), Smith (Marshall 86’).

Subs – Johnson (GK), Vancooten, Akinwande, Dinanga.

Goals: Osborne 60’, James-Wildin 64’, Prosser 82’

Oldham Athletic XI – Lawlor (GK), Hamer, Jombati, Piergianni ©, Borthwick-Jackson (Badan 64’), Garrity, Whelan, Grant, Keillor-Dunn, McAleny, Rowe.

Subs – Woods (GK), Barnett, Fage, Blackwood, Da Silva.

Referee – Charles Breakspear.