OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1, CARLISLE UNITED 1
Another late goal from Zak Dearnley proved priceless for Oldham Athletic as it helped earn a home draw against Carlisle United.
Dearnley’s 79th minute effort, however, was not as last gasp as his winner on Saturday at Bolton Wanderers which came five minutes into added time.
And with four points from the last two games, there is evidence that Latics’ new-look side is finding its feet following a disappointing start to the League Two campaign.
The point was gleaned with assistant head coach Alan Maybury in charge with Harry Kewell isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.
Surprisingly there were five changes to the winning side from Saturday as Ian Lawlor, Bobby Grant, Zak Dearnley and Alfie McCalmont returned to the starting line-up with Kyle Jameson being handed his full debut.
The players to lose out were Laurence Bilboe, Sido Jombati, Callum Whelan, Danny Rowe and Dylan Bahamboula.
There were also only six survivors from Latics’ team which defeated Carlisle 3-0 in the Carabao Cup in their first competitive match of the season.
Carlisle, with former Latics’ players Lewis Alessandra and Dean Furman involved, made the brighter start.
Lawlor was called into action in the second minute to excellently turn over a looping header from Josh Kayode.
And not long after, Gime Toure struck the crossbar with a fine effort from the edge of the penalty area.
The visitors were denied again when Jordan Barnett made a goalline clearance to keep out Toure’s header as it was one-way traffic in the early stages.
Alessandra then saw an effort fly just wide of the upright as the Cumbrians were in control.
Latics’ first chance came when Bobby Grant headed narrowly wide from Barnett’s cross.
They had another let off in the 34th minute when Jameson slipped allowing Toure to burst clear but this time he struck the upright.
The last chance before the interval fell to Dearnley whose shot went narrowly wide after being released by Ben Garrity.
The Cumbrians took the lead in the 54th minute as a corner from the left found Aaron Hayden at the front post and the central defender headed past Lawlor.
Latics ought to have been level when Barnett’s free-kick found Garrity in the six-yard box, but the midfielder somehow headed wide when it looked as though he could not miss.
However, Latics eventually found an equaliser with 11 minutes left through the in-form Dearnley.
Substitute Rowe supplied a pass to him on the edge of the box and the striker curled a shot past Paul Farman into the far corner to earn a point.
Oldham Athletic: Lawlor, Piergianni, Garrity, Grant (Rowe 62), Jameson (Clarke 85), Ntambwe (Bahamboula 46), Barnett, McAleny, Dearnley, McCalmont, Hamer. Subs (not used): Bilboe, Clarke, Jombati, Whelan, Keillor-Dunn.
Goals: Dearnley, 79, for Oldham. Hayden, 54, for Carlisle.