Gillingham 1 Oldham Athletic 2 – League 1 match report
Published: 16:40, 08 October 2016
Bottom side Oldham beat Gillingham after coming from behind to win at Priestfield.
Cody McDonald headed the Gills in front but Oldham levelled after the break through former Margate striker Freddie Ladapo.
Oldham’s second-half pressure paid off when Ryan Flynn guided the ball home with a minute left.
It was only a second league victory of the season for Oldham.
Boss Justin Edinburgh said afterwards that the big decisions went against his side but that Oldham still deserved the win. Click here to read his reaction.
Frank Nouble was handed a start for the first time since rejoining the club, after his international clearance was confirmed.
Bradley Dack, McDonald and Scott Wagstaff were all back from injury, while captain Josh Wright started again after sitting out the two previous league games. There was also a first start in League 1 this season for Jake Hessenthaler.
New signing Chris Herd impressed after taking over at right-back while Nouble showed a few glimpses of quality up front.
Oldham began the afternoon bottom of the table, with just one win behind them and having scored only five goals. They looked like a team who were struggling, early on, before getting into the game.
Gillingham were in charge for the opening half hour and took the lead in the 10th minute as McDonald ran onto a Dack corner unchallenged to head home past keeper Connor Ripley.
McDonald glanced another header into the arms of the keeper midway through the half and Dack tried his luck from distance moments later, but Ripley wasn’t troubled.
A long-range shot from Billy McKay after half an hour was Oldham’s first of the game but was the start of Oldham showing a little more going forward. A flurry of corners led to Peter Clarke going wide putting a chance wide under pressure from Max Ehmer.
Oldham should have levelled early in the second half when Brian Wilson got in behind the defence and found Lee Erwin, but the striker couldn’t find the target with the goal at his mercy.
The Gills had another let-off moments later when Flynn’s cross caused panic in the box, but Jamie Reckford couldn’t quite get on the end of it and Peter Clarke was eventually crowded out.
Gillingham were eventually punished in the 66th minute and the goal had been coming.
Big striker Ladapo held off his marker before turning and firing past Stuart Nelson for the equaliser, just four minutes after being introduced by the subs’ bench.
The Gills thought they should have been given a penalty with 20 minutes left as Hessenthaler’s powerful effort was blocked by Clarke, flying in with his hands raised, but referee Kevin Johnson said no.
At the other end they needed Nelson to save well to deny Ladapo from getting another, as he turned Deji Oshilaja. The Gills keeper then denied Flynn as he was given space to shoot.
The chances kept arriving for the visitors and Clarke headed a corner over.
A Flynn cross with five minutes left gave them another chance but the ball just eluded front-man Ladapo, who only needed a touch to guide the ball home after the defence had been pulled apart.
With a minute of normal time Oldham got a second, which was deserved. More space was given to Oldham in the box and Flynn ran onto a loose ball before finishing past Nelson.
Gillingham: Nelson, Herd (Jackson 69mins), Konchesky, Ehmer, Oshilaja, Wright, Hessenthaler, Wagstaff (Byrne 81mins), Nouble, Dack (Osadebe 66mins), McDonald. Subs not used: Hadler, Pask, List, Oldaker.
Oldham: Ripley, Reckford, Wilson, Burgess, Flynn, McKay (Ladapo 61mins), Winchester (Croft 60mins), Erwin (Banks 90mins), Fane, Clarke, Green. Subs not used: Kettings, Law, Klok, Osei.
Attendance: 6,425 (127 away).
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Luke Cawdell