Salford City were made to pay for not wrapping the local derby at half-time, as late strikes from Dylan Bahamboula and Davies Kellor-Dunn canceled out Ian Henderson’s early goal to claim victory for Harry Kewell’s side.
Ritchie Wellens made four changes from the side that drew two-all with Harrogate Town, with Paul Coutts getting a first start since joining the club and Richie Towell was handed his first start since October.
On what was a blustery day at Boundary Park, the Ammies looked to take control of the game from minute one against their Greater Manchester neighbours.
The first chance for Salford came as early as the fourth minute, as some good link-up play between Henderson and Towell resulted in the Irishmen blasting an effort over the bar from 25-yards.
As Salford began to dominate the ball and create chances, the opening goal seemed inevitable for the Ammies and it would indeed come courtesy of Ian Henderson in the 10th minute of play.
A great surge down the right hand flank by Tom James provided a cross for Henderson to control and prod past a helpless Ian Lawlor and Harry Clarke on the Latics goal line.
The woodwork proved an enemy for the away side with the striking the bar or post on three separate occasions through-out the match, with perhaps Ritchie Towell having the best chance to double the lead in the 32nd minute.
Towell was given too much space by the Oldham defence to be able to hit a powerful effort off the bar, leaving Lawlor helpless for the rebound meaning Harry Clarke had to see away the danger.
A half of complete dominance for the away side would leave them astounded to be going in at half-time only one up.
HT: Oldham Athletic 0 – 1 Salford City (Henderson, 10)
Oldham knew they had to come out and cause more problems for the Ammies in the second 45 and they set out to do just that.
On the 50th minute, Oldham’s talisman Connor McAleny made his way into the box only to have his shot saved and the oncoming Nicky Adams rebound forced Hladký into a brilliant double save.
The game settled down after this, with nothing much really happening until Latic’s better second-half showing was rewarded with an equaliser by Bahamboula on the 75 minute mark.
A freekick by Oldham’s Marcel Hilsner was struck into the wind forcing Hladký to parry the ball into the on-rushing winger who took a touch and fired his effort into the bottom left hand corner past the despairing Ammies keeper who could only get a touch on it.
The equaliser stung the Ammies and they looked fired up and determined to regain the lead, with perhaps the best chance of doing so falling to Tom James on the 83rd minute who stuck a powerful low shot past Lawlor only to see his effort cannon off the post.
As the game looked to be edging towards what would be regarded as a frustrating point for Ritchie Wellen’s men giving their overall control of the game, things were about to get even worse thanks to Oldham’s super sub Davis Keillor-Dunn.
Oldham came forward in the second of six additional minutes at the end of the game, through Bahamboula once more who set up Keillor-Dunn to hit a thunderbolt passed Hladký into the top right corner, to seal what seemed a very unlikely comeback win for the Latics.
FT: (Bahamboula, 74, Keillor Dunn 90+2) Oldham Athletic 2-1 Salford City (Henderson, 10)
🗣 Richie Wellens on the defeat to Oldham at Boundary Park…#WeAreSalford 🦁🔴 pic.twitter.com/mBaLF26a0i
— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) January 30, 2021
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