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 76th 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 29th 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 60th 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 66th 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