Fleetwood Town 1-1 Latics

Latics picked up another point in their Sky Bet League Two campaign with a 1-1 draw against Fleetwood Town at Highbury.  

In a game where both sides will feel they could have taken all three points, it was the hosts who struck the early blow.

Ched Evans found space inside the area from an Elliot Bonds corner and cleverly back-heeled past Mat Hudson to give the Cods the lead.  

The opening stages were largely one-way traffic, with Evans almost turning provider when he tried to slip in Mark Helm, only for his pass to run through to Hudson.  

Latics grew into the game and fashioned their first opening on 23 minutes. Jamie Robson combined well down the left before teeing up Joe Quigley, whose effort was  blocked by a number of Fleetwood defenders.  

Kane Drummond’s burst of pace then created another chance for Mike Fondop, but his strike was also shut down.  

The visitors thought they had levelled on the half-hour. Josh Hawkes’ effort, after a neat one-two with Fondop, was tipped onto the bar before the rebound was bundled home by the striker. However, after a delay, the referee penalised Fondop for handball.

Moments later, Quigley nodded down for Fondop to finish smartly, but the flag was up for offside.

Persistence finally paid off before the break when a Ryan Woods corner was only half-cleared, ricocheting off Reagan Ogle and into the net to send the sides in level at half-time.

Latics came out strongly after the restart. Ogle released Drummond down the line and his first-time cross found Fondop, who could only fire over.  

Woods then picked out Quigley, but the striker’s stretched effort went wide, before another Fondop flick set up Quigley, whose strike was deflected behind.  

With Latics dominating, Fondop held up a long ball and laid it back for Quigley, but his first-time shot cleared the bar.  

Against the run of play, Fleetwood would have felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty on 77 minutes when substitute Will Davies went down under Ogle’s challenge, but the referee waved was unmoved.  

As the game opened up, Matty Virtue’s cross just eluded its target, while Hudson had to be alert to produce a sharp save from Finley Potter’s header late on.  

Latics nearly snatched it at the death when Kian Harratt’s curling effort struck the post, before Davies missed a golden chance at the other end, firing wide after Hudson’s initial save.  

In the end, both sides had to settle for a share of the points after an entertaining contest on the coast.  

Fleetwood Town: Lynch, Medley, Bolton, Potter, Bonds, Helm, Norwood (Graydon 71), Evans (Virtue 57), Morrison (Neal 57), Johnson (Davies 57), Mullarkey.

Subs not used: Hewitson, Holgate, Roberts.  

Oldham Athletic: Hudson, Ogle, Daniels, Monthe, Woods, Fondop, Conlon, Drummond (Harratt 65), Quigley, Hawkes (Hannant 59), Robson.

Subs not used: Donaghy, Charsley, Sutton, Olson, Hammond.  

Referee: Benjamin Speedie 

Attendance: 3,682 (1,154 away)