Fantastic Fondop sinks Fylde
Date published: 31 January 2025

Latics triumphed 2-1 at AFC Fylde
A brace from leading scorer Mike Fondop saw Latics return to winning ways after five games without a win and provided a welcome impetus for their promotion push in a well-fought battle at local Lancashire rivals Fylde.
Fondop, who signed for the club three years ago to the day, celebrated by striking twice in the second half to earn the three points after the home side had taken a 49th minute lead.
Manager Micky Mellon described the win as huge.
He said: “I remember vividly coming here last season and letting the crowd down.
“It wasn’t nice so we were desperate to put on a better version of what an Oldham team should look like.
“We were the better team by some distance, we were roared on by a brilliant crowd and we thoroughly deserved that.”
Mellon fielded an unchanged team at Mill Farm.
The first half in front of a crowd of 2,612 was a goalless stalemate with the first action a shot from Jolley which Matt Hudson saved comfortably.
One of the National League top goalscorers Nick Haughton then fired tamely over the bar.
On 23 minutes Fondop had a great chance to head goalwards from Jake Leake’s cross but Ben Winterbottom was perfectly placed to save it.
Fondop then saw his shot pushed away by Winterbottom before the hosts cleared the ball away to safety.
On the half hour Charlie Raglan volleyed over the bar, Fondop came close to firing a shot following Caprice’s good work before, at the other end, Reagan Ogle headed away from Roberts probing ball into the box.
In the 35th minute John Lundstram found the net but the ball was disallowed for offside and the sides remained on level terms at the break.
Latics went behind four minutes after half time when Fylde captain Corey Whelan found himself at the end of a brilliant cross from Gavin Massey and beat Hudson with aplomb.
The scoreline was harsh on Latics as both Billy Waters and Fondop pressed for an equaliser in response.
It came on 62 minutes when a through ball intended for Lundstram found Fondop in space inside the Fylde final third and he strode forward to deftly strike the ball past a hapless Winterbottom to level the scores at 1-1 to the delight of the fans in the away end.
Though the momentum was clearly with the visitors, Hudson was called into action to deny Fylde the lead.
Vimal Yoganathan, an on-loan signing from Barnsley this week, came on for his debut with 10 minutes of normal time remaining replacing the industrious Lundstram as they pushed for a winner.
There was a considerable amount of stoppage time for Latics to grab a winner, and four minutes into the nine minutes of added time they did just that.
A free kick was floated in by Tom Pett, one of many impeccable set piece deliveries he delivered in the afternoon, Yoganathan headed on, panic inside the Fylde six-yard box ensued and man of the match Fondop was there to grab his and the team’s second from close range.
The players were able to hang on for a 2-1 win, their first victory of 2025.
Latics go again on Tuesday with another Lancashire derby, this time at rivals Rochdale.
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