Oldham are set to return to National League action on Tuesday night for the first time in 10 days when they welcome Boreham Wood to Boundary Park.
It’s felt like an age since Latics were in action, the last occasion coming in a scrappy 0-0 draw against Ebbsfleet United at the Stonebridge Road stadium, where Oldham were unable to return to winning ways after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Woking the week prior.
Both sides had chances in the game, particularly in the second period where Toby Edser and James Norwood were each denied by both men between the sticks, keeping the score level.
It could be argued Mathew Hudson was the hero for Micky Mellon and his men, ultimately producing an outstanding stop to thwart Ben Chapman to prevent successive league defeats. It was meanwhile Latics’ first draw in the National League since their 2-2 thriller with Altrincham in October.
It was also the end of a terrific winning run of away form which saw Oldham win five trips on the bounce, though they are now unbeaten in six on the road. Attention will be quickly turned towards improving their home form upon their return to Boundary Park, having picked up just two wins in their last five at home.
The Opposition
Boreham meanwhile secured successive league wins for the first time this season following a 1-0 win over Maidenhead United at Meadow Park. Erico Sousa’s fine season in a Boreham shirt continued when he dispatched his seventh of the season from the spot to secure an important three points.
Despite his match-winning strike, Nathan Ashmore was Boreham’s saviour making several terrific stops in both periods. Kabongo Tshimanga thought he had opened the scoring inside 15 minutes before he was judged to have gone early.
It was soon after that Ashmore began his heroics, first making two smart saves to deny Tobi Sho-Silva and Reece Smith. His exploits in the second half meanwhile were even more impressive, where late on he produced a superb low stop to thwart substitute Shawn McCoulsky whilst an outstanding reaction stop even later secured the victory for the hosts.
Despite riding their luck, Boreham have picked up a solid run of form, losing just once in their last eight which has seen the Wood subtly creep up behind the playoff chasing pack, now just seven points adrift of seventh place Gateshead.
The result did bode well for their home record, a first in five at Meadow Park and a first home clean sheet since their win over Hartlepool in October. The Wood can also bring extra confidence into the game, having yet to face defeat against Latics in their three encounters (W2 D1).
Key Threat
Sousa has been a shining light for the Wood this season, with his explosive pace and uber-direct approach in the final third a hazardous combination for any defender to deal with.
His penalty effort at the weekend saw the hybrid midfielder-forward notch his seventh league goal of the campaign, joining Lee Ndlovu at the top of the rankings for Boreham, though Sousa has shown to offer so much more.
A deadly performance against Eastleigh a few weeks back was almost the perfect showcase for his talent, highlighting his versatility and quality. His superb, curled effort into the top corner just a glimpse of his talents.
Meanwhile his proficiency from 12 yards is becoming a regular feature of Sousa’s game, his most recent strike showed supreme confidence, whilst rifling into the top corner in injury time against Eastleigh exuded signs of a player at the top of his game.
In the dugout
Since taking charge at Meadow Park in 2015, Luke Garrard has seen plenty of ups and downs during his time as Boreham boss, whilst his tenure has seen a fascinating trend develop.
His side seem to have found a healthy bit of form as we head into the business end of the season, whilst an inconsistent campaign thus far means there is work to be done if Garrard wishes to reach the playoffs for the fourth time in eight full seasons at the club.
This constant shift has seen the Wood tend to take at least a season out of the playoffs before returning, whilst an unlikely charge into the top seven this season would see Garrard lead his side to consecutive appearances for the first time in his reign.
A heartbreaking end to a thrilling semi-final last season saw Boreham concede twice in injury time, first in normal time before Jodi Jones netted a dramatic winner at the death in extra time to send Notts County through.
It has been an indifferent season thus far, though a recent upturn in form could see the Wood finish strongly. A win at Oldham would see the gap between the two sides close to just three points, though Latics hold two games in hand.
Match coverage and information
Live audio commentary is available on Latics Player, guiding you through the match.
For more information, visit the Latics Player page by clicking here.
Alternatively, supporters can also follow the game with live updates on the club's official Twitter account: @OfficialOAFC
As this game is not being played within the blocked broadcast hours stipulated by UEFA, live streaming will be available through National League TV for supporters in the UK and overseas.
Matchday passes are available for £9.50, with further details here.
As always, we will endeavour to ensure confirmation of the line-up is published as soon as possible on social media.
However, supporters should note that team sheets in the National League are not exchanged until an hour before kick-off. This is 15 minutes later than in the EFL and as a result, the line-up is likely to be published slightly later than in previous seasons.