Latics 1-1 Barnet

Michael Mellon’s penalty cancelled out an early Mark Shelton spot kick, as the spoils were shared between Oldham and Barnet at Boundary Park. 

Former Latics midfielder Shelton rolled a penalty away inside five minutes, before Michael Mellon equalised for Latics in the second half in a game where Latics had plenty of chances to take all three points. 

The match got off to a scrappy start, with an early yellow card for Jamie Robson setting the tone as the referee had many decisions to make. 

One of which was to award a penalty for Barnet just five minutes in, after a long throw into a crowded penalty area touched an Oldham hand. Shelton stepped up and slotted the ball home to give the visitors an early lead.  

The home side started to grow into the contest as the game settled, with some half-chances on the break and from corners. 

On the half-hour mark, Barnet began to threaten for a second, with Callum Stead twisting and turning in the box but his effort was deflected out for a corner. 

Not long after, tricky play from Idris Kanu down the left ended with the winger putting a cross into the middle, with Danny Collinge heading goalwards. Mike Fondop was back to clear the ball off the line and keep Barnet’s advantage at one.  

The Bees then rattled the woodwork when dan Ndlovu curled one from the edge of the box.   

After a hectic start, Shelton’s early penalty was the difference going into the break. 

Latics started the second half strongly and almost grabbed an equaliser less than two minutes after the restart. Michael Mellon’s cross found Hannant running in, but his header in the box was over the crossbar. 

On the hour mark, the home side began to pile the pressure on in search for a leveller. Substitute Joe Quigley brought the ball down well in the box and hit a low volley that was heading goalwards until a Barnet defender deflected it just wide. 

Moments later, Cieran Slicker came rushing out of his net to deny Kane Drummond, leaving an empty net which Pett couldn’t find from far out. 

The pressure finally paid off 70 minutes into the game, when Latics were awarded a penalty after a scramble in the area saw Donervon Daniels tripped. Michael Mellon fired home from the spot to make it 1-1. 

Mellon had a golden opportunity to turn the game around just minutes later after being put through on goal. The forward tried to poke an effort past an oncoming Slicker, but the Barner ‘keeper was able to block it. 

The Latics onslaught continued as Micky Mellon’s men went in search of a second. Drummond went through on goal, with Tom Pett alongside him, but the Oldham number 15 tried to steer it goalwards, with Slicker standing strong.

With five minutes left of regular time, Mellon spun around his man and had just the goalkeeper to beat, but once again couldn’t find a way past Slicker. 

Barnet almost stole it in the 88^th minute, when a scramble in the box resulted in an effort being sent towards the Latics net. Matt Hudson did just enough to stop it from going over the line. 

It was then Oldham’s time to have another chance, when Daniels went on a steaming run up the pitch. His low cross found Mellon in the middle, but a Bees defender was there to block. 

After a frantic 99 minutes, neither team were able to find a winner as the match finished one apiece. 

Oldham Athletic: Hudson; Sutton (Caprice 46’) , Monthe, Daniels, Robson; Hannant (Drummond 52’), Conlon ©, Woods (Payne 62’), Pett; Fondop (Quigley 62’), Mellon (Hammond 94’). 

Unused substitutes: Donaghy (GK), Morris. 

Barnet: Slicker; Senior, Collinge ©, Tavares; Kanu, Shelton (Hartigan 17’), Ofoborh, Glover; Stead (Osadebe 60’), Hawkins; Ndlovu. 

Unused substitutes: Evans (GK), Galvin, Winterburn, Kensdale, Adeniran. 

Referee: Sebestian Stocksbridge

Attendance: 7333 (175)