Latics vs. Harrogate Town

Sky Bet League Two - Matchday 10

1 October 2021

Latics welcome Harrogate Town to Boundary Park as they look to make it back-to-back wins in Sky Bet League Two (3pm KO).

Last time out, Oldham fell to a 3-2 defeat in the Papa John’s Trophy against Leeds United’s U21 side with Zak Dearnley and Davis Keillor-Dunn getting on the scoresheet for Latics.

Form Guide

Town enjoyed a good start to the season, but their form has dropped off a little lately.

They are winless in their last four league games but despite of this they still sit in the top three.

Keith Curle’s men will have a difficult task on their hand to secure another league victory as Town have lost just one league game this season, which came in mid-September against Port Vale.

Town’s Last Six:

Harrogate Town 0-0 Stevenage
Crawley Town 2-2 Harrogate Town
Port Vale 2-0 Harrogate Town
Harrogate Town 2-2 Newport County
Mansfield Town 1-3 Harrogate Town
Harrogate Town 3-1 Mansfield Town (EFL Trophy)

Meetings: 2

Latics wins: 1
Harrogate Town wins: 1
Draws: 0

Scored - 4
Conceded - 2

Last season was the first time that the two clubs met in a competitive fixture and both sides managed to win one of the two games.

The last time they met was at the EnviroVent Stadium in April of this year and it turned out to be a good day for Latics.

Alfie McCalmont got Oldham off to a flying start in the seventh minute before goals from Dylan Bahamboula and George Blackwood made sure it was a comfortable day at the office.

The game at Boundary Park finished 2-1 to the visitors despite Conor McAleny giving Oldham the lead.

The hosts were not helped by the first half sending off to Bobby Grant and went on to lose the game.

Watch Out For

Luke Armstrong is the joint top goal scorer in the division.

Luke Armstrong.jpg

Latics will have their work cut out to keep the 25-year-old quiet who already has six Sky Bet League Two goals to his name.

Born in Durham, Armstrong began his youth career in the North East with Middlesbrough. He also had a brief time in the Birmingham City youth setup before making the move north of the border to Cowdenbeath to kick start his senior career.

He struggled for game time at Cowdenbeath and made the move back to the North East to Blyth Spartans where he enjoyed a fruitful spell.

His form won him a move back to Middlesbrough, but he couldn’t force his way into the first team plans and was loaned out to Gateshead and Accrington Stanley before a permanent move to Salford City.

Armstrong spent the second half of last season on loan at Hartlepool United and he was a big part of the effort that won them promotion to the Football League.

In The Dugout

Simon Weaver is the man in the dugout for the visitors.

Simon Weaver.jpg

The 43-year-old has been in charge of Town since 2009.

The long serving gaffer has been a massive part of Harrogate’s incredible success and many promotions that have led them to Football League for the first time in the club’s history.

Interestingly, the owner of the club is Simon’s father Irving, but it is worth noting that his reign at the club pre-dates that of his dad’s.

Match Officials

The man in the middle for the game is David Rock.

David Rock.jpg

Rock last officiated an Latics game in December 2019 as we were beaten 2-0 by Swindon Town at the County Ground. On that day, he handed out three yellow cards and zero red cards.

He's taken charge of ten games, so far, this campaign, handing out a total of 35 yellow cards and one red card.

Rock will be assisted by Steven Rushton and Billy Smallwood, with Andrew Hendley the Fourth Official.

Sky Bet Odds

Harrogate Town have been made 6/5 favourites to refind their form and get their promotion bid back on track.

Oldham are 2/1 to make it back-to-back league wins whilst you can get 12/5 for the draw.

Please gamble responsibly by clicking here. For more information visit: www.begambleaware.org

How To Follow The Game

Club News

30092021 Programme Harrogate Town

30 September 2021

Live commentary is available on iFollow Latics with Roy Butterworth and Michael Brown who will be talking you through the match.

The iFollow video match pass is available for overseas residents only. Please note there will be no match pass available for UK residents on iFollow now it is no longer taking place behind-closed-doors alongside the Saturday 3pm blackout enforced by the footballing governing bodies.

For more information, visit the iFollow Latics page.

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

Match Reports

Latics 1-2 Harrogate Town

2 October 2021

On a typically freezing cold and rainy afternoon at Ice Station Zebra, the boys in blue tasted another defeat against Harrogate Town.

Harrogate took the lead in the first-half through Jack Diamond before Luke Armstrong doubled their advantage after the interval.

Harry Vaughan notched a late consolation in the 76^th minute, his first-ever professional goal, but his side couldn’t earn a point.

Keith Curle’s men entered the clash on the back of an excellent victory in the local derby with Rochdale last weekend but they also had a disappointing result against Leeds United U21s during the week.

As a result, the gaffer named six changes for the fixture against the Sulphurites with the skipper Carl Piergianni, Dylan Bahamboula and Jack Stobbs amongst those returning to the side.

Interestingly, it was Bahamboula and Stobbs that combined for the first opportunity of the match in the eighth minute. The French winger extraordinary took on two defenders with skill on the left-hand side before delivering a pinpoint cross to Stobbs at the back post, however, the former Sheffield Wednesday man cannoned his effort off the crossbar from close range.

Jordan Clarke illustrated his attacking qualities when he received possession inside the visitors half as the 29-year-old cleverly dribbled past his marker and powerfully struck from distance, but it deflected off a teammate and over the crossbar.

The North Yorkshire outfit, winless in their last four matches, broke the deadlock in the 29^th minute. Alex Pattison managed to marauder past several of Latics defenders to the byline inside the box before having the vision to pick out Diamond at the back post and the Sunderland loanee slotted into an empty net.

Straight after the interval, Bahamboula continued to cause Ryan Fallowfield endless problems on the left-wing. He produced impressive footwork before cutting inside to shoot, however, his curling effort went just past the far post with former Latics ‘keeper Mark Oxley static.

Armstrong’s persistent workrate earned himself the chance to double his side’s lead in the 60^th minute. The tireless frontman chased down Harrison McGahey before being gifted possession by the defender, but Jayson Leutwiler managed to deny his low effort.

However, the former Middlesbrough attacker got his name on the scoresheet in the 66^th minute. Town produced some great interchanging football inside the area before Armstrong walked through the defence before slotting under the goalkeeper for his seventh goal of the season – the most in Sky Bet League Two.

Simon Weaver witness his team lose their clean sheet when Latics substitute Vaughan, a very promising talent, made an instant impact as he played a one-two with Callum Whelan before keeping his composure to slot past ‘keeper to half deficit.

The hosts applied pressure in search of an equaliser, however, Oldham couldn’t create any clear-cut opportunities in order to take a point from the encounter with Harrogate picking a win at Boundary Park for back-to-back seasons.

Oldham Athletic XI – Leutwiler (GK), Fage (Vaughan 75’), Clarke, McGahey, Piergianni ©, Stobbs (Dearnley 70’), Diarra (Bowden 64’), Whelan, Keillor-Dunn, Bahamboula, Hope.

Unused Subs: Danielewicz (GK), Bettache, Da Silva, Edwards.

Goal: Vaughan 76’

Harrogate Town XI – Oxley (GK), Fallowfield, Falkingham ©, Smith, Burrell, Thomson, Pattison (Kerry 56’), Muldoon, Hall, Diamond (Power 80’), Armstrong.

Unused Subs: Cracknell (GK), Martin, Orsi, Sheron.

Goals: Diamond 29’, Armstrong 66’

Attendance: 3,729 (177 away)

Referee – David Rock