For the second time this season, the Shaymen fell to a defeat at Boundary Park after a tough afternoon. Kian Harratt’s strike combined with Fondop’s diving header was enough for all three points for Oldham Athletic.
Jamie Cooke replaced Zak Emmerson as the only change for the Shaymen as they travelled to Boundary Park, Oldham named three ex-Halifax players in the squad with Billy Waters, Mike Fondop and Dan Gardner all occupying the bench.
Inside the opening five minutes, Jamie Norwood laid the ball off to Tom Conlon, who found Kian Harratt out wide. He then drove towards goal before striking from the edge of the area, but Sam Johnson managed to keep hold of the strike.
The game then fell flat until the 28th minute when Kian Harratt opened the scoring for the home side. Mark Kitching burst free down the left-hand side before delivering a ball which Josh Emmanuel cleared to the edge of the area; Jordan Rossiter did well to prod the ball back into the area where Harratt was waiting to convert for the Latics.
Following the goal came a second blow for the away side; captain and keeper Sam Johnson was forced off the field for the first time in his long Shaymen career after picking up what appeared to be a groin injury. Nathaniel Ford was his replacement as he made his first league appearance of the season.
Following the restart, Lewis Leigh and Zak Emmerson replaced Jack Jenkins and Luca Thomas.
Leigh was straight into the action as he fed the ball perfectly through to Jamie Cooke, who tried to beat Tom Donaghy, but the young keeper was out quickly to deny him. Down the opposite end, Conlon played Harratt through behind the back of the Halifax defence, but his powerful effort fell just wide.
With 25 minutes left to play, yet another Town player was withdrawn due to injury as Festus Arthur made way for Tom Pugh.
Not for the first time in the game, Kitching found himself with space on the left flank and was able to deliver a low ball into the feet of Harratt, who tried to flick towards goal, but Ford was there to save. Oldham captain Conlon was then replaced by former Town man Dan Gardner with 15 minutes left of the 90. Mike Fondop also entered the fray for the Latics.
It was a game where both teams had to feed off scraps for the majority; however, the Shaymen did have a clear opportunity with 80 minutes on the clock. Lewis Leigh’s whipped free kick found the head of Adam Senior, but his effort dropped just beyond the reach of Ryan Galvin, who looked to slide in at the back post. The town’s final change saw the introduction of Owen Bray.
Despite the scrappy nature of the game, the first yellow card of the game didn’t come until the 87th minute, when Adam Adetoro hauled down Fondop 40 yards from goal.
The Shaymen never really looked like getting back into this game, and this was certainly the case once former Halifax forward Fondop netted Oldham’s second; Tom Pett delivered an out swinging corner which Fondop met with a diving header to secure the three points for the Lancastrian side.
Match Stats
Oldham Athletic
31 Tom Donaghy, 3 Mark Kitching, 4 Tom Pett, 5 Shaun Hobson, 10 Tom Conlon (19 Dan Gardner 74), 15 Jordan Rossiter, 16 Charlie Raglan, 20 Jake Caprice (17 Jeserun Uchegbulam 90 + 2), 26 Kian Harratt (9 Mike Fondop 77), 30 James Norwood, 34 Jake Leake
Subs: 13 Jake Dennis, 8 Josh Lundstram, 14 Joe Garner, 18 Billy Waters
FC Halifax Town
1 Sam Johnson © (12 Nathaniel Ford 34), 5 Adam Senior, 4 Festus Arthur (23 Tom Pugh 67), 27 Adam Adetoro, 16 Josh Emmanuel (26 Owen Bray 87), 3 Ryan Galvin, 6 Jack Evans, 20 Jack Jenkins (21 Zak Emmerson 46), 18 Florent Hoti, 10 Jamie Cooke, 9 Luca Thomas (28 Lewis Leigh 46)
Subs: 14 Harvey Sutcliffe, 29 Sean Tarima
Referee: Zak Kennard-Kettle
Goals: Harratt 28, Fondop 90
Yellow Cards: Adetoro 88
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 7256 (1074 away)
Oldham Athletic 2 FC Halifax Town 0
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