Latics 4-0 Halifax Town
Match Reports
14 May 25
Oldham booked their place in the Vanarama National League Play-Off semi-finals with an emphatic 4-0 win over FC Halifax in front of a bouncing Boundary Park.
Goals from Joe Garner, Mark Kitching, Mike Fondop, and Joe Pritchard secured a dominating derby win in front of over 10,000 fans, setting up a showdown away to York City on Tuesday May 20th.
It was a perfect start for Latics, who were on the front foot from the off. It took just three minutes for the deadlock to be broken, with Joe Garner picking up where he left off following his brace against Ebbsfleet last Monday. Tom Pett’s corner was delivered right on the forward’s head, with Garner rising to power his header home.
Not long after, Yoganathan was sent through on goal after some nice football through the middle, but Sam Johnson was able to pull off a good save.
It didn’t take long for the second goal to come though, with Kitching putting Latics two goals up before the ten-minute mark. A cross from the right was kept in by Fondop at the back post, with Kitching coming in to nod home from close.
Then two minutes later, Boundary Park erupted when God’s Number Nine made his mark on the scoresheet. Joe Pritchard’s ball into the box was met by Fondop who head home to put Latics three goals up inside 13 minutes.
Manny Monthe was a welcome addition to the Latics starting XI, making his first appearance since picking up an injury against Fylde on February 1st. The commanding centre-back almost marked his return with a goal on the 26th minute mark, when a freekick was met by Charlie Raglan, whose header found the feet of Monthe. Latics’ number six hit a quick shot on the turn which had Johnson well beaten but bounced off the post.
After a whirlwind opening half-an-hour, the action calmed down towards the end of the first half. Just before the end of the normal time, Fondop almost powered his way through goal when charging his way through an opening, but his effort was blocked. That was the last action of the first period, with Oldham 3-0 up at the break.
Latics continued to be on the ascendency after the restart, probing with plenty of the ball. Yoganathan was brought down after weaving in the area, but the referee waved play on.
The fourth goal came just minutes later, with Yoganathan again involved in the build-up. The midfielder drove with the ball through the middle on the break, laying off it off to Pritchard to the right of the edge of the area who smashed a shot across goal to make it 4-0.
The visitors almost found a consolation goal in the 74th minute, with a cross into the box finding Zak Emmerson who stretched to get Halifax’s first shot on target from close range. Matt Hudson was on hand though to make himself big and preserve his clean sheet.
Oldham almost made it a five in extra time, with a Josh Lundstram charging down the right and putting in a cross that had to be tipped away. It remained four though as Latics claimed their third win of the season against their rivals to progress to the semis.
Oldham Athletic: Hudson; Ogle, Raglan ©, Monthe (Sutton 77’); Pritchard (Lundstram 88’), Pett, Evans (Rossiter 67’), Kitching; Yoganathan (Conlon 55’); Garner (Norwood 55’), Fondop .
Unused substitutes: Donaghy (GK), Uchegbulam.
FC Halifax Town: Johnson ©; Emmanuel, Senior, Galvin; Tarima (Nkrumah 57’), Jenkins (Adetoro 16’), Pugh (Emmerson 16’); Cooke, Hoti, Capello; Thomas (High 64’).
Unused substitutes: Ford (GK), Eze, Sutcliffe.
Attendance: 10,865 (1893)
