Latics left frustrated as they were held to a goalless draw against Southend United at Boundary Park.
Harry Kewell made two enforced changes for the visit of the Shrimpers with Marcel Hilssner making a return and Dylan Fage slotting in the backline to replace the injured Harry Clarke and the suspended Kyle Jameson.
The hosts had the first opportunity of the game when Fage raced down the right-wing before picking his head up to spot Bobby Grant inside the box, his cross was met by the head of the striker, but he couldn’t get his attempt on target.
Southend should’ve been ahead in the tenth minute as Reeco Hackett-Fairchild produced an impressive in-swinging delivery from the right-hand side which found former Barnet attacker Simeon Akinola, free inside the six-yard box, however, he snatched at his chance seeing his header go way wide.
In the 35th minute, Mark Molesley’s side were fantastically denied by Ian Lawlor and the crossbar from taking the lead. A free-kick from the left found Emile Acquah inside the box and he flicked goalwards, but at point-blank range the Latics goalkeeper managed to keep him out before the ball eventually fell to Hackett-Fairchild however his powerful strike cannoned off the crossbar.
Shortly after the interval, the visitors once again hit the crossbar as Hackett-Fairchild did well on the right-wing before floating a cross onto the head of Acquah, but from close range, his header smashed the crossbar before being cleared from danger.
Additionally, moments later the lively Acquah found himself clean through on goal and his chipped effort beat Lawlor however it went the wrong side of the post which was a massive let out for the boys in blue.
Harry Kewell’s side had two golden opportunities at the end of the clash to secure all three points. The first arrived when Jason Demetriou tripped substitute Conor McAleny and from the resulting free-kick, it found Grant inside the six-yard box, but he headed straight at James Montgomery.
Following that, in added time captain Nicky Adams delivered an inviting free-kick onto the head of the rising Carl Piergianni, however, his powerful header sailed over the crossbar as the sides shared the points.
Oldham Athletic XI – Lawlor (GK), Adams ©, Diarra, Piergianni, Fage, McCalmont, Hilssner, Keillor-Dunn, Bahamboula (Ntambwe 85’), Tasdemir (McAleny 62’), Grant.
Subs – Bilboe (GK), Jombati, Badan, Whelan, Vaughan.
Southend United XI – Montgomery (GK), Hobson (Bwomono 72’), Cordner, Dieng, Akinola (Demetriou 78’), Clifford, Hackett-Fairchild, Acquah (Nathaniel-George 57’), Taylor (Halford 72’), Ferguson, White ©.
Subs – Seaden (GK), Goodship, Holmes.
Referee – Ollie Yates