Latics 0-0 Crewe Alexandra
Match Reports
15 November 25
Latics made it consecutive clean sheets in Sky Bet League Two as they played out a goalless stalemate with Crewe at Boundary Park.
Both teams had some good opportunities, particularly in the second half, but couldn’t apply the finishing touch.
Latics almost had the perfect start inside three minutes, when Micheal Mellon tried to find space in a crowded penalty area. The ball was flicked on by Kai Payne, with Mellon squeezing a shot at goal but he couldn’t get the right sort of contact as the ball trickled wide.
Crewe then came close to taking the lead through Emre Tezgel. Mickey Demetriou’s cross from the left found its way to the Stoke loanee, but he couldn’t direct his header on target.
Moments later, the home side couldn’t make the most of a goalmouth scramble, with Manny Monthe and Donervon Daniels trying to capitalise on a loose ball in the area. The ball fell to Mellon but his shot was blazed over the bar.
It was then the away side’s turn to came close, with the ball falling to Max Sanders on the edge of the area. The midfielder feinted and slalomed his way through the box before rolling a shot wide of Matt Hudson’s post.
A few minutes later, Lewis Billington fired an effort from the edge of the area, forcing a strong stop from Hudson.
After 20 minutes, the visitors were beginning to put on the pressure. Daniels misjudged a bounce and Tezgal charged through on goal, hitting a powerful shot that bounced back off the crossbar.
Luke Hannant then came close, finding space in the area and hitting a volley but Demetriou was there to block for the Railwaymen.
The away side had two more opportunities before the end of the half, with Sanders seeing another shot go just wide from the edge of the box. Tommi O’Reilly then went down the right and squared a pass into Tezgal, who fired over from close range.
It was the last chance of a dull opening first period, with the scoreless at the break.
The first real sighting of goal came the way of the home side after the interval. A dangerous freekick on the edge of the box was met by Manny Monthe at the back post. The defender nodded goalwards, forcing a stretching save from Tom Booth to deny the Latics defender.
Crewe then struck the woodwork in the 65th minute, with a cross that found Owen Lunt. The midfielder headed the ball back across goal, but it bounced off the post and was cleared.
Kane Drummond added a bit of pace when he entered proceedings and, after scoring in the EFL Cup in midweek, was almost on the scoresheet soon after coming on. He charged into the box from deep, firing a fierce shot that just flew over the bar.
Mike Fondop also came on to try and make an impact and almost broke the deadlock on the 80th minute mark. Jake Caprice’s cross from the right was met by Fondop in the box, but his looping header was just over the crossbar.
Max Sanders again came close for Crewe in the 88th minute when his cross deep had Hudson backpedalling. Fortunately for Latics, it was just too high and wide to find the back of the net.
With the game reaching its final stages, Latics pushed for a winner with Mellon forcing a low save from a freekick. From the resulting corner, time stopped as the ball was flicked towards the goal, but the referee blew for a foul. It was the final action as the game level.
Oldham Athletic | Hudson; Caprice, Daniels, Monthe, Robson; Pett ©, Hawkes, Payne, Hannant (Drummond 73’); Mellon, Garner (Fondop 66’).
Unused Substitutes: Donaghy (GK), Ogle, Leake, Sutton, Quigley.
Crewe Alexandra | Booth; Billington, Demetriou ©, Connolly, Hutchinson; Thomas, Sanders; O’Reilly (Rankine 85’), Lunt, Holicek (Moult 89’); Tezgel.
Unused Substitutes: Waller (GK), Mingi, Finney, Golding, Croker.
Referee: Aaron Farmer
Attendance: 8,937 (1,354 away)
