Latics head into play-offs with a routine victory

Latics cemented fifth place in the National League table with a 2-0 over bottom of the league Ebbsfleet United in the final game of the regular season in front of a sun-soaked Bank Holiday Boundary Park crowd of 7,493.

Two goals, one in each half from man of the match Joe Garner, saw them take the three points.

Latics, who had already qualified for the playoffs for the first time for 19 years, will now face Halifax Town at home on Wednesday week, May 14.

Manager Micky Mellon made five changes from the side beaten on their last outing at Forest Green, with Reagan Ogle, Jordan Rossiter, Kian Harratt and Joe Pritchard joining Garner in the starting XI.

Pritchard almost made an immediate impact after three minutes when his low shot rattled the post as Latics controlled the possession and tempo of the game.

The opening goal came after Oldham were awarded a penalty in the 35th minute.

Garner was fouled in the box not once but twice and on the second occasion referee Richard Aspinall pointed to the spot.

The experienced striker stepped up to rifle the ball straight down the centre and into the net.

It almost became 2-0 just before the break but Fleet keeper Felix Goodard did well to stop a strike from Vimal Yoganathan to keep Latics down to 1-0.

In the second half Oldham continued to control the game having the greater share of possession.

They also used four substitutes with Mike Fondop, Corry Evans, Tom Conlon and Jes Uchegbulam coming on as they pressed for a second goal with Fondop, Yoganathan and Garner all seeing good efforts thwarted by Goddard.

They were rewarded for their efforts on 86 minutes with a second for Latics and Garner.

It came when Yoganathan’s effort beat Goddard and hit the crossbar.

Garner was there first to nod the ball home.

For manager Mellon (whose son Michael Mellon was on the pitch as Bradford City clinched promotion to League 2 with a late win on Saturday) it was a pleasing performance to end the season proper.

“It was important that we needed to get a win,” said Mellon snr after the game.

"It was a really professional performance.

"We had to show the qualities that we had particularly as we had a lot of the ball.

"The players showed good decision-making qualities."

He was full of praise for striker Joe Garner.

“He is always good with the ball, he is very competitive, very smart, and scored two goals. He is going to be big for us so am delighted he got that amount of time under his belt,” added Mellon.

On getting a home draw with Halifax in the eliminator next week, Mellon said: “We have done the best we could and the (new) situations and hurdles are in front of us.

"I am looking forward to the game already - I love playing the games on the edge.

“We will be ready for it.

"It is knife edge stuff so we are excited and it was great moment with the fans at the end (when the players did a lap of appreciation) - we want to keep the smiles on people’s faces.”

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.