Latics 0-1 Bradford City
First Team
26 July 25
Oldham continued their preparations for the 2025/26 Football League campaign with a 1-0 defeat at home to League One Braford City.
Stephen Humphry’s second-half strike proved to be the winner as Latics got valuable minutes in the tank against third-tier opposition.
The hosts looked sharp in the opening exchanges, with some quick passing football particularly down the left-flank.
The visitors had the first shot on target of the afternoon, when a ball into the box was only cleared as far as Ibou Touray who came on to the ball form the left side. His trickled effort was easy for Matt Hudson to gather.
The third-tier outfit almost opened the scoring in the 25th minute, when a ball was whipped in from the right side by Brad Halliday. Will Swan made the run and got his head to it near the back post but couldn’t keep his effort down.
Three minutes before the break, there were some small appeals for a penalty when Jake Leake went down after jumping for a header in the Bradford penalty area. The Latics defender asked the question to Matthew Scholes, but the referee waved play on.
The Bantams had another shot on goal at the end of the first half, with Stephen Humphrys cutting in from the left side and striking an effort straight into Hudson’s gloves.
Neither team could break the deadlock in an uneventful first half.
Latics began the second period well and went close with a couple of crosses into the area, but Mike Fondop couldn’t quite get on the end of any. Stevens was almost put through on goal when making a run towards the left side of the six-yard box but couldn’t get on the end of the through ball.
Tom Pett was brought off less than two minutes into the second half after going down with an injury and being replaced by Oli Hammond. Micky Mellon will be hoping the influential midfielder isn’t injured too badly as the new season approaches.
The introduction of Manny Monthe on the brink of the hour mark saw a change in approach for Oldham, who changed from a 4-1-4-1 formation to a 3-5-2 shape. It didn’t take long for the change to have an impact, with Fondop getting Latics’ first shot on target on the hour mark after cutting in from the left and seeing his effort saved by Walker.
There were claims for a penalty not long after, when Stevens went down in the box after a Bradford defender climbed above him. Despite appeals, the referee let play continue.
However, it was the Bantams who took the lead in the 65th minute. Stephen Humphrys ran around the right side of the box, driving into the area and hitting a low shot on goal. Hudson got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.
Bradford almost doubled their lead moments later when a cross was smothered off the line by the Latics defence.
Latics almost found an equaliser five minutes from the end, with Hammond’s deflected shot from outside the area just looping over the bar. From the resulting corner, Monthe rose to meet the ball and his header bounced up off the ground and forced a stretching save.
Despite a few more efforts, Latics couldn’t find an equaliser and the game finished 1-0 to the away side.
The defeat was the second of three friendly games before the start of the season, following a goalless draw with Dundee United last weekend. Micky Mellon’s side take on Curzon Ashton on Tuesday.
Oldham Athletic: Hudson; Ogle, Daniels (Sutton 73’), Leake (Hawkes 78’), Hannant (Drummond 73’); Woods; Morris (Monthe 58’), Conlon ©, Pett (Hammond 54’), Stevens (Garner 64’); Fondop (Harratt 83’).
Unused substitutes: Donaghy (GK), Waters.
Bradford City: Walker; Baldwin (Richards 65’), Pennington, Wright (Tilt 65’); Halliday, Leigh (Power 15’), Metcalfe (Sarcevic 65’), Touray (Neufville 66’); Humphrys (Pointon 72’), Lapslie, Swan (Ibbitson 85’).
Unused Substitutes: Hilton (GK), Hadi (GK), Huntington, Boney.
Attendance: 2,530 (724 away)
