Latics had a dismal evening as they lost 3-0 on the road at AFC Fylde. From the moment the referee blew his whistle, Fylde was on point, quickly taking a two goal lead in the first fifteen minutes. After gaining possession of the ball within the box, Ustabasi struck a straight shot over the goal’s face and found the bottom corner. Things for Oldham just got worse. Barrett’s cross was let to reach Kay on the box’s edge a few minutes later, and she accurately found the bottom corner.
Athletic made an effort to tie the game, but Fylde’s energetic, astute play and relentless pressing every time Latics got the ball irritated Athletic. Just before halftime, Hogan’s sent-off for a second yellow card—wrestling with Charman close to the dugout and linesman—made it much more difficult to overcome the two goal disadvantage. Hallam Hope was sacrificed in attack, while Harrison McGahey entered the game to take Hogan’s place in defense. If Oldham was to have any hope of winning the match, they had to appear like a different team coming out in the second half, and to be fair, for a short while, they did. Latics controlled the majority of the play and had a few crosses and corners, but none of the opportunities resulted in anything significant. Fylde managed to grasp the game because to Now that he had scored a goal, Ustabasi was a real threat to the Latics, forcing Hudson into several saves to deny him and his teammates opportunities. Josh Lundstram was replaced by Ben Tollitt, who faced his former team as the Latics attempted to get back into the contest. Ustabasi’s offensive fury throughout the match paid off as stoppage time approached, as he doubled his goal total for the night with a powerful strike from thirty yards out.
For Oldham it was a night to forget.
Oldham: Shelton, Lundstram (Tollitt 67), Hudson, Kitching, Hogan, Hobson, Shelton, Green, Hope (McGahey 38), Sutton, and Norwood. Not used subs Reid, Fondop, and Norman
