Latics travel to Blundell Park tonight to take on Grimsby Town in their last outing of the calendar year (7pm KO).
A win for Oldham would be an incredible eighth victory on the road in all competitions for Harry Kewell’s side to set a new club record in the process.
Last time out, Latics fell to a 2-1 home defeat against Harrogate Town in a game that saw them reduced to 10 men following Bobby Grant being shown a straight red card.
Form Guide
Grimsby Town have struggled for form recently and have recorded just one win in eight league games. W1, D1, L6 in their last 10, conceding 17 along the way.
They come into the fixture on the back off back-to-back defeats against Bradford City and Morecambe.
This run leaves the Mariners 22nd in the League Two table, just three points clear of the bottom two and they are seven points worse off than Latics.
The Mariners’ last six:
- Morecambe 3-1 Grimsby Town
- Grimsby Town 1-2 Bradford City
- Grimsby Town 1-0 Scunthorpe United
- Southend United 3-1 Grimsby Town
- Grimsby Town 1-1 Mansfield
- Grimsby Town 0-2 Newport County
Head-to-Head
Meetings: 72
Latics wins: 29
Grimsby wins: 30
Draws: 13
For - 106
Against - 116
Latics have not lost a competitive game against Grimsby since August 1997 and are unbeaten in seven against them.
The points were shared the last time the two clubs met.
Goals from Christopher Missilou and Filipe Morais had given Oldham a 2-0 lead at Boundary Park but they were unable to hang on to the lead. Late goals from Jordan Cook and Ludvig Ohman saw Grimsby rescue a point.
The last time they met at Blundell Park, Oldham got the better of proceedings. A quick-fire brace from Sam Surridge put the visitors two up in the second half and a 92nd minute goal from Jose Baxter sealed the win.
Team News
In terms of selection, Head Coach Harry Kewell has some players unavailable. Danny Rowe is still close to a return to the side, with defenders Andrea Badan and Kyle Jameson back in training after making a good recovery from their hamstring injuries.
George Blackwood is now having some more time on the sidelines after a setback in his recovery.
Whilst, Bobby Grant begins his three-match suspension after his red card at the weekend. This means he will miss tonight's match as well as the game at Forest Green Rovers and the Emirates FA Cup fixture against AFC Bournemouth.
Interesting Info
- The side have the most away league wins on the bounce, with four which is the second best record - winning five away on the bounce in 2008, with a 3-1 win at Leeds on New Year’s Day, and did it before in 1974, winning at Blackburn on March 2. So a win we once again equal Latics' best league away run.
- The club also won four on the bounce in the league once in 1970.
- Since the club lost 5-0 in the League Cup in August 1997, Latics are unbeaten against Grimsby (W5 D2, scored 20 conceded 5).
- Overall at Grimsby it's P36 - W10, D7, L19 with 48 For and 73 Against, and since the 5-0, Oldham have won at Grimsby 2-0 (May 98), drew 3-3 (Boxing Day 2003), and won 3-0 in September 2018.
- The hosts have beaten Oldham by more, but Latics have the biggest win (6-0, Feb 2004).
Previous 'On This Day' fixtures:
The 35-year-old has had two previous spells at Boundary Park. The first of which between 2010 and 2012 and the second came last season, joining on a season long loan from Crawley Town.
Across both stints as an Oldham player, Morais made 88 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals in that time.
The Portuguese player had been without a club since the summer following release from Crawley, but he made his return to football earlier this month, joining Grimsby on a one and a half year deal.
He has been involved in each of his new club’s last five games and has been in the starting 11 for the last three of them.
In The Dugout
Ben Davies is the man in the dugout for the hosts.
Davies is current caretaker boss, taking over from the departing Ian Holloway.
This is the 39-year-old’s first role in senior management but he has had previous roles as first team coach and the boss of the Under 23 side.
He has also represented Grimsby Town during his playing career.
Stadium
Blundell Park
Capacity: 9,052
Opened: 2nd September 1899
Record attendance: 31,651 (v Wolves, 20th February 1937)
Match Officials
Referee - Ollie Yates
Assistant Referee 1 - Matthew Smith
Assistant Referee 2 - Hristo Karaivanov
Fourth Official - Tom Bishop
The official tonight has taken charge of 16 games so far this season, handing out 54 bookings and a single red card.
This will be his first game this season involving Grimsby or Oldham, with his last Latics fixture coming in October 2019 in the 2-0 win at Boundary Park against Walsall.
Sky Bet Odds
Latics have been made favourites for the clash and are 5/4 to make it eight consecutive wins on the road.
The hosts are 7/4 whilst the draw is 13/5.
An Oldham win with both teams finding the back of the net is priced at 10/3.
Please gamble responsibly by clicking here. For more information visit: www.begambleaware.org
How To Follow The Game
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 Michael Brown you through the action.
This match is available as a live stream for the fee of £10 by clicking here.
In the current environment, there is a greater dependence on match streaming than ever before.
As a result iFollow generates one of the only revenue streams available to clubs through these financial challenges.
Piracy - and illegal streaming of matches - does not only carry the risk of potential criminal action, but also has a greater financial impact on clubs while supporters are unable to attend matches.
The EFL's campaign would like to not only convey the message that piracy is immoral and illegal, but that it is also financially damaging club's across the divisions.
For more information on the campaign and iFollow, click here.
Alternatively, supporters can also follow the game with live updates on the club's official Twitter account: @OfficialOAFC.