Latics 1 – 2 Salford City: Latics come up short against ugly Salford side

This was the first game for a few months in which Latics have played without the prospect of achieving a play-off place. Throughout February and March, Latics went on an astonishing run that put them in charge of their own destiny – if they had won every game from that point, they would have been in the play-offs no matter what happened elsewhere. The team they would have had to displace from the play-off spots (there was only one) was Salford City.

LATICS 1

Hawkes 61

SALFORD CITY 2

Adebola Olowu 3, Udoh 45+3

8,968 (900)

Times change and, at the start of this game, Latics needed some drastic and unlikely divine intervention to make the play-offs, whereas Salford were four points behind Cambridge United in the final automatic promotion spot.

Salford went ahead after just three minutes. Latics conceded a free kick midway into their half, Luke Garbutt swung a dangerous ball into the box, and Latics’ defenders allowed Adebola Olowu to ghost in behind them to nod it in from a yard. It would have been two in the 10th minute, but Mat Hudson saved well from Ryan Graydon from close range.

Latics had moments but nothing that amounted to anything you could describe as pressure. They registered their first strike on goal on 18 minutes – Matt Young saved Jamie Robson’s header from a Fondop cross. A through-ball from Josh Hawkes near the halfway line set Oli Hamond on his way but he got the ball stuck under his feet. Kane Taylor carried the ball into the Salford box but couldn’t fashion a shot.

In the meantime, Salford were winning the loose balls and aerial challenges, harvesting some very easy-to-get free kicks, and wasting every second they could. Their second came deep into the six minutes of injury time at the end of the first half. Ryan Graydon headed a long kick from goalkeeper Matt Young into the box to Daniel Udoh, who turned and finished low to Hudson’s left.

There was some intensive pushing and shoving in the tunnel as the players left at the break. Salford City are an unlikeable club, and their manager is an unlikeable manager. For Karl Robinson, it’s not enough for his teams to win: they have to do it by conning the referee, wasting time and generally stinking the place out with their behaviour. If you’re not a natural cheat when you sign for Karl Robinson, you’ll need to learn fast from the other players.

Salford could have made it three a minute into the second half but Josh Austerfield skied it from two yards. On the hour, Hudson made a good save from Udoh after Salford broke at speed from the edge of their own box.

Latics were looking somewhat fragile until they got a goal back when Pett emerged with the ball from an ugly exchange in which no one seemed to be able to put their foot on it in midfield. He played it wide to Hawkes. Young in the Salford goal started on the edge of his area, went back, came forward, ended up in no man’s land, and Hawkes lobbed it over him.

Salford had one golden chance and one not particularly good one to put the game out of sight. For their part, Latics plugged away. They had the better of the game through force of will. There is a lot to love about this side. Even when they don’t have their best players on the field and can’t get their game going, the effort is always there. The attendance of 8,968 for a game when the season is all but over is evidence enough that the Latics fans rate them very highly indeed.

Oldham Athletic: Mat Hudson, Tom Pett (c), Manny Monthé, Kane Taylor, Ryan Woods, Mike Fondop (Jake Leake 87), Will Sutton, Josh Hawkes, Jamie Robson, Oli Hammond (Joe Garner HT), Dynel Simeu

Subs not used: Tom Donaghy, Jake Leake, Fábio Jaló, Frankie McMahon-Brown

Salford City: Matt Young, Jorge Grant, Brandon Cooper, Josh Austerfield, Matt Butcher, Haji Mnoga, Adebola Olowo, Daniel Udoh, Ryan Graydon (Princewill Ehibhatiomhan 92), Luke Garbutt, Rosaire Longelo (Alfie Dorrington 80)

Subs not used: Mark Howard, Oliver Turton D, Cole Stockton, Alfie Dorrington, Nicolás Siri, Kyrell Malcolm