Two late goals from Altrincham saw Latics drop two points at Boundary Park.
Oldham got off to a lively start, creating a number of chances, and got their rewards when Joe Nuttall picked up the scraps from Alex Reid’s shot, and fired home.
Latics doubled their lead when Bassala Sambou was left unmarked at the far post, heading home from a few yards out.
James Jones was sent off for a reckless challenge on Sambou, leaving Altrincham with ten men on the pitch.
Maxi Oyedele halved the deficit with a powerful volley from the edge of the area, before Ty Sinclair made sure they took a point back to Cheshire, when he headed home from a corner in stoppage time.
Oldham kicked off the game with attacking intent, and created a number of early chances.
Devarn Green cut in and went for goal, but his effort went inches wide of the post, and hit the side-netting.
Alex Reid was played through but had to contend with two Altrincham defenders being inches either side of him, as he got a shot away.
Athletic broke the deadlock when Reid, again, was played through, but saw his shot saved by Byrne. Nuttall reacted quickly, turned 180 degrees, and fired home.
Latics remained in control of the game, and looked for a second before the break.
Kitching flicked the ball up just outside the area and went for goal, but his shot was blocked by an Altrincham defender closing him down.
The second-half wasn’t as energetic as the first, but Latics still had their fair share of chances.
Green, a danger throughout the entire game, made his way into the box and looked for the far corner, but could only put it wide of the post.
David Unsworth’s side won a free-kick on the edge of the area which John Rooney took, his set piece was parried by Byrne, before Kitching flicked the ball back across goal for Sambou to head home.
With 15 to play, it looked as though Latics would see the game out with ease, and those thoughts were compounded when James Jones saw red for a dangerous challenge on Sambou.
Maxi Oyedele spectacularly pulled one back with ten minutes to play, when he beat Norman with an impressive volley from outside the box.
Disaster struck for Latics in the dying moments of the game, an Altrincham corner fell to Ty Sinclair, whose thumping header gave Norman no chance.
A disappointing end to the game.
Oldham: Norman, Hogan, Sheron, Green, Shelton, Rooney, Reid (Sambou 67), Kitching, Sutton, Yarney, Nuttall (Hope 87).
Subs not used: Hudson, Tollitt, P. Clarke.
Attendance: 7,391 (609)