Oldham Athletic 3-2 Southend United aet: Latics return to the Football League

OLDHAM ATHLETIC 3

Garner pen 48, Norwood 110, Harratt 112

SOUTHEND UNITED 2

Monthe og 5, Parillon 91

By Andy Mitchell 

Two goals in a breathless two minutes saw Oldham Athletic turn around an extra-time deficit to head back to the EFL with victory over Southend United at Wembley. 

The Latics recovered from early blows in both first halves as substitutes James Norwood and Kian Harratt sparked scenes of jubilation right in front of their fans. 

There were 10 minutes to go in extra-time when Norwood levelled, dashing onto Manny Monthe’s raking ball over the top to coolly finish over Nick Hayes with Harratt’s cross for Mike Fondop swirling inside the far post before anyone – on the pitch or in the stands – had the chance to get their heads around the equaliser.

Monthe had been in the thick of the action all day, nudging past his own keeper Mathew Hudson five minutes in, and while there was an ebb and flow to the game Oldham had and spurned all the chances either side of Joe Garner’s penalty early in the second half, awarded after Monthe had been hauled down. 

Oldham Athletic’s Kian Harratt celebrates scoring their side’s third goal of the game
PICTURE: Alamy

Team news

Never-say-die Southend then landed another swift blow, Leon Parillon heading into a gaping net after Gus Scott-Morriss’s looping cross-shot had been awkwardly parried into the danger zone 38 seconds into the extra 30 minutes but Oldham replicated that spirit to claim what was a warranted victory across a non-stop two hours that befitted the game’s fine setting.

Oldham boss Micky Mellon again named an unchanged XI, retaining faith in the starters that had scored seven without reply across previous play-off clashes with FC Halifax Town and at York City.

Opposite number Kevin Maher made two changes, Southend’s extra-time saviour Jack Bridge coming back in on the left for Parillon while Cav Miley replaced Oli Coker in midfield.

Match action

Oldham made a boisterous start, Vimal Yoganathan wriggling past his man on the right but overcooking the cross before the Shrimpers landed a huge blow with their first proper swing. 

Scott-Morriss lifted a ball towards the box from the halfway line and harassment from Charley Kendall lured Monthe into stretching for a touch that dinked the ball past Hudson as he came off his line, the ball agonisingly trickling into the empty net.

The brisk tempo continued, an Oldham corner glanced wide off the top of Fondop’s head and the hitman was apoplectic minutes later when Yoganathan stretched to head wide Mark Kitching’s lifted centre with the striker better placed behind him.

Tom Hopper’s header from a pacy Scott-Morriss throw was no trouble for Hudson, while Fondop connected with but nudged wide a loose ball following an edge of the box battle at the other end.

Oldham kept coming, Garner’s downward far-post header from a corner bouncing off the outside of the post as sporadic pressure became sustained and while Southend took the sting out of it in the build-up to half-time, Fondop had a golden chance to level.

Tom Pett charged down a clearance that the striker dashed onto, deftly lifting beyond the emerging Nick Hayes but also fractionally beyond the far post.

Oldham Athletic’s Joe Garner scores their side’s first goal of the game from a penalty
PICTURE: Alamy

Second half

The second half was just 46 seconds old when Oldham’s turning point arrived, Monthe pulled back and then scissor-challenged to the floor by Ben Goodliffe while grappling for a long throw with referee Ben Elliot given the easiest penalty call he has ever had to make.

In front of expectant Latics fans holding their breath, Garner coolly rolled low to the right of Hayes to unleash an explosion of noise and a couple of pyrotechnics that delayed the restart. 

That led to a change in the pattern of play, Southend building pressure but Athletic threatened on the break and really should have moved in front in the 63rd minute, Pett guiding a clearance back into the feet of Fondop whose swivel and shot from eight yards was pushed wide by the alert Hayes.

Whether it was changes or the tempo of the opening hour, the pace of the game steadied from there, Southend enjoying a late push but Goodliffe’s header in a crowded box and Scott Morriss’ swing from right of centre were easy enough for Hudson to handle.

Nine minutes were added and Oldham again went agonisingly close to a decider, Fondop laying off for Pett to square across the face of the box for onrushing wing-back Kitching to fire a fraction past the far post with Hayes beaten, and there was still time for Norwood to produce an air shot from Fondop’s bouncing knockdown.

Extra time

Perhaps predictably, the pendulum quickly swing once more as Southend moved in front 38 seconds into extra-time.

Keenan Appiah-Forson took possession on the right and rolled into Scott-Morriss’s bomb forward with his looping lob across goal forcing Hudson to adjust, slapping the ball away from danger but straight at Parillon who headed into the gaping net.

Oldham offered little in response initially with Mellon shifting to four at the back in extra-time, Charlie Raglan tamely heading off target an outswinging corner.

Oldham Athletic’s Jordan Rossiter, Joe Pritchard and Vimal Yoganathan celebrate promotion to the EFL
PICTURE: Alamy

Second half of extra time

Josh Walker surged down the right, cut back in but had a near-post effort pushed away by Hudson and the game soon turned. 

Monthe’s raking ball from deep caught out a retreating Southend backline, Goodliffe caught under it and Norwood alive to the situation, lifting effortlessly beyond the exposed Hayes to level. 

It was still pandemonium in the stands as Oldham built up again on the right, the ball rolled back to Harratt whose swinging cross for Fondop evaded the stretching Goodliffe and nestled inside the far post untouched to leave punchdrunk Southend on the canvass. 

The Essex club tried to recover and should have equalised, Parillon with the square ball for makeshift frontman Goodliffe to swing his leg at nothing six yards out to confirm that the fairytale finish would belong to the Latics. 

Southend United fans’ tifo before the match
PICTURE: Alamy

Teams, attendance and more

Oldham Athletic (3-5-2): Hudson; Ogle, Raglan, Monthe; Pritchard (Uchegbulam, 68, Rossiter 115), Yoganathan (Conlon, 84), Evans (Harratt, 102), Pett, Kitching (Hobson, 98); Fondop, Garner (Norwood, 75).

Unused subs: Rossiter, Harratt, Donaghy (g/k).

Southend United (3-4-1-2): Hayes; Taylor (Gubbins, 115), Goodliffe, Ralph; Scott-Morriss, Husin, Miley (Coker, 77), Bridge (Parillon, 64); Appiah-Forson; Hopper (Walker, 90+3), Kendall (Bonne, 64).

Unused subs: Wind, Gubbins, Harness (g/k).

Referee: Elliot Bell 

Attendance: 52,115

READ MORE: Oldham Athletic boss Micky Mellon hails promotion and backs 3Up call