GRIMSBY TOWN 0, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 0
Oldham Athletic failed to create club history after being held to a goalless draw at managerless Grimsby Town in Sky Bet League Two.
Latics had been looking to record an eighth straight victory on their travels in all competitions which would have been a club record having equalled it with their win at leaders Newport County in their previous away day.
It was a rare occasion when Latics fired a blank in front of goal, no surprise as they were without Conor McAleny and Danny Rowe, their two leading goalscorers, through injury.
It was still disappointing, though, as the Mariners are battling relegation and this was their first match since the colourful Ian Holloway resigned as manager.
But on a positive note, Latics kept a first clean sheet in 21 league matches, having the leakiest defence in the division with 37 goals.
On a bitterly cold night at Blundell Park, neither side could produce the quality needed to find the breakthrough in a game short of attacking incident.
With both sides struggling for chances, Latics’ best opportunity to claim the win came in stoppage time, Jordan Barnett finding himself in space on the left edge of the penalty area, only for goalkeeper Sam Russell to turn his angled shot around the near post.
It was the clearest chance of a lacklustre contest but, while Latics will probably reflect on an opportunity missed, they can at least take heart from a solid defensive showing.
Head coach Harry Kewell made five changes from the Boxing Day game against Harrogate Town due to injury and suspension, handing academy striker Junior Luamba his first EFL start alongside Zak Dearnley in attack.
Luamba, 17, performed creditably, causing problems for the home defence during his 67 minutes on the pitch and creating a number of openings.
Latics started well, Dylan Bahamboula cutting the ball back to Dearnley, whose shot was blocked.
Luke Waterfall also got in the way of a shot from Luamba, who was denied again shortly before half-time. As an initial effort from the youngster was blocked, the rebound fell to Barnett, whose effort from the edge of the box was deflected over.
At the other end, Ian Lawlor’s only save of the half was to deny Mattie Pollock from a Elliot Hewitt free kick.
A great link up at the start of the second half between Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Dearnley resulted in the full-back fizzing the ball across goal but nobody could get a decisive touch.
Yet any hope Latics had of building momentum straight after the re-start was punctured by a seven-minute stoppage due to an injury to an assistant referee.
Bahamboula always looked the most likely player on either side to make something happen, driving down the right before his teasing cross was cleared. The winger also sent in a free kick but Carl Piergianni’s glancing header went wide.
Barnett and substitute Davis Keillor-Dunn had half chances before Bahamboula curled a free kick into the side netting from 25 yards.
The best chance of the evening fell to Barnett right at the end but there was to be no fairytale ending to Latics’ pursuit of a new club record, instead having to settle for the first clean sheet in 20 league games and first draw in 17.
Oldham Athletic: Lawlor, Clarke, Borthwick-Jackson, Piergianni, Garrity, Fage, Ntambwe, Barnett, Dearnley, Bahamboula, Luamba (Keillor-Dunn 67). Subs (not used): Bilboe, Jombati, Whelan, Diarra, McCalmont, Hamer.