Browse Sections

• Oldham Athletic FC
• Oldham Roughyeds'
• Local football
• Local cricket

Stockport County 3 Oldham Athletic 1

Carl Marsden
8/10/2008

OLDHAM’S eight-game unbeaten league run was left in tatters after a second-half defensive horror show at Edgeley Park.

Events appeared to be following a familiar positive script when Andy Liddell capped Latics’ early derby dominance by putting them ahead midway through the first half.

But within just two minutes of the restart, County had levelled and - assisted by some shambolic defending - they eventually won at a canter.

John Sheridan had been forced to make changes with injured Lee Hughes and Stefan Stam both sidelined, and Sean Gregan suspended.

The latter’s absence proved key as a backline with two players making full debuts - loanee Daniel Jones and Richie Byrne - lacked leadership and coherence.

Kelvin Lomax and Lewis Alessandra were also dropped, replaced by Jones and Craig Davies respectively.

In a frantic opening, Chris Taylor twice went close but it was Liddell, on the opposite flank, who gave Latics a deserved 24th minute lead.

His inswinging corner left ‘keeper Owain fon Williams clawing into the freezing air as it sailed over him and nestled into the far corner.

The goal sparked trouble in the Cheadle End home section where, due to a meagre allocation of just 2,000 tickets, dozens of displaced Oldham fans began celebrating.

The visitors continued to hold the upper hand and went close again on 37 minutes when Davies’ venomous low shot flew narrowly wide.

But Stockport boss Jim Gannon responded by shuffling his pack at half-time, introducing Carl Baker for Michael Rose, and it wrought an immediate transformation.

Just two minutes in, Peter Thompson flicked on Tommy Rowe’s left-wing cross and the unmarked Paul Turnbull slammed home his first-ever senior goal from close range.

Chris O’Grady almost restored Latics’ advantage on the hour but shot wastefully over in what now proved a rare forward forage.

The home side were increasingly ascendant across midfield, and an almost-inevitable second County goal arrived on 67 minutes as the defence collectively switched off again at James Tunnicliffe’s long throw, allowing Thompson to rifle home at the back post.

Sheridan replaced Liddell and O’Grady with Deane Smalley and Alessandra, but the adjustments never threatened a transformation.

Substitute Stephen Gleeson’s spectacular overhead kick was denied by a fine stop from Mark Crossley but the killer goal arrived eight minutes from time.

Defensive indecision reigned once more as Jim McNulty punted downfield and County’s impressive skipper, Michael Raynes, capitalised with a sweet lob.

Athletic next face rock-bottom Hereford United on Sunday.