Oldham took home all three points from Sixfields this afternoon as the Cobblers lost at home for the first time in the league this season.
Stuart Gray handed a debut to new loan signing Kyle Walker with Alex Dyer getting a start in midfield in place of the suspended Giles Coke. Luke Guttridge made it to the bench after his injury problems. Scott McGleish had to settle for a place on the bench as well alongside Nicholas Bignall as Leon Constantine and Karl Hawley led the attack. Daniel Jones, who spent a lot of last season on loan at the Cobblers, started for Oldham.
The visitors settled the better of the two sides and Mark Allott sent in the first shot of the game after just thirty second but his effort ricocheted away for a throw in off a Cobblers defender. Oldham were forced into the first substitution of the afternoon, though, on seven minutes as midfielder Dean Smalley picked up an injury and was replaced by the experienced Andy Liddell.
The Cobblers’ first shot of the game came from Karl Hawley but his shot was blocked before Alex Dyer forced Mark Crossley into a save after good build up play. The Cobblers began to get more and more into the game and a free kick on fifteen minutes set up a decent chance. Jason Crowe collected the ball from Jackman’s kick but his poor first touch meant he had to set up Ryan Gilligan but the midfielder skied his shot over the bar.
Oldham substitute Liddell was involved in his first real piece of action on twenty minutes as he crossed in a dangerous ball towards the middle but Frank Fielding managed to just tip it off the head of the advancing pack.
Five minutes later and Ryan Gilligan was involved in some good midfield work for the Cobblers but the end product wasn’t there as his cross was easily collected by the visiting keeper. Oldham broke to the other end immediately and the dangerous Chris Taylor produced a strong run before his shot was blocked by Liam Dolman and deflected away for a corner.
After Jason Crowe shot over from distance, loanee Kyle Walker, who had been impressing in the first half, did well to make space but his cross just evaded Karl Hawley.
Taylor again caused problems late in the half with a right footed shot testing Frank Fielding but the final attack of the half saw Daniel Jones cross in dangerously from the left hand side and Lee Hughes smacked the post in a real let off for the Cobblers on the stroke of half time.
Oldham started the second half on top, as they had the first and a couple of headers from Darren Byfield flashed wide, the second one from just six yards out the better of the two chances.
Ten minutes into the half, Alex Dyer and Karl Hawley were replaced by attacking options as the two loan strikers Scott McGleish and Nicholas Bignall came on. The subs nearly had an immediate effect as Bignall did well on the right to send in a cross for McGleish, who nipped in but couldn’t quite get a good enough connection on the ball.
A couple of minutes later, Byfield forced Frank Fielding into a good save as his snap shot tested the Cobblers keeper, with Fielding pushing the ball away for a corner. Oldham kept the pressure on and Andy Liddell’s free kick was blocked by the wall just after the hour mark.
The Cobblers made their third and final substitution of the afternoon with twenty minutes to go as Luke Guttridge replaced Liam Dolman. We then had a good chance through Leon Constantine as Scott McGleish set up the former Leeds man but he couldn’t quite get over the ball and sent his shot over the bar.
With just fifteen minutes to go, the Cobblers gave Oldham a chance to take the lead and the visitors duly obliged. Lee Hughes took the ball round three players and was brought down by Jason Crowe in the area for a clear penalty in front of the north stand. Andy Liddell stepped up and confidently rolled the ball into the right hand corner and Oldham were in front.
With ten minutes to go, Nicolas Bignall broke well but his shot was well blocked by Daniel Jones as the Cobblers’ attempts to get an equaliser came to nothing. The final ten minutes saw Oldham hang on and there was no late flurry from Stuart Gray’s side. Lee Hughes was sent off in stoppage time for a second bookable offence but it was too late to have any impact on the game and the visitors took home the points.
Things will have to turn around very quickly if we’re to come anywhere near Leeds in the FA Cup First Round replay on Monday evening.
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