Match Report:
Oldham Athletic 2 (Dummigan 12, Amadi-Holloway 86)
Bradford City 1 (Gibson 88)
Saturday 3rd February 2018 | Sky Bet League One | SportsDirect.com Park
The Bantams fell to another league defeat and it was Oldham Athletic who this time proved to be victorious. Cameron Dummigan opened the scoring with a wonder-strike from distance which went in off the underside of the bar. Aaron Amadi-Holloway crucially doubled the home side's lead with a late header with Jordan Gibson's goal a couple of minutes later proving to be nothing more than a consolation goal.
Stuart McCall made six changes to the team that were heavily beaten by AFC Wimbledon last weekend and deployed a 3-5-2 formation. Adam Chicksen, playing as a left wing-back had the first chance of the game and it was a presentable one. Tony McMahon's cross was flicked on by Charlie Wyke and then Shay McCartan's touch guided the ball into his path before hitting a shot on the bounce well over the bar to let the hosts off the hook.
Despite City's noticeably bright start to the game, it was Oldham who took the lead. The ball was worked to Cameron Dummigan and he unleashed a rocket of a shot which went into the back of the net, via the underside of the crossbar. There was simply nothing at all that the returning Colin Doyle could have done to keep it out.
The goal gave the hosts a great deal of confidence and shortly afterwards, Dan Gardner saw a looping header tipped over the bar by Doyle. Referee Anthony Backhouse also limped off injured to be replaced in the middle by one of the two linesmen, Michael D'Aguilar.
Shay McCartan saw an attempted bicycle kick not quite go as well as his attempt at Fleetwood on New Year's Day and then Doyle made a big save to deny Duckens Nazon who ran through on goal after latching onto Gardner's incisive through ball.
The Bantams weren't creating a great deal of chances but the game was still open for any team to take advantage of in terms of the direction of the outcome. Timothee Dieng was brought on against his former club and he certainly added more bite and tenacity to the midfield on a very worn surface.
The move of the match led to a Callum Guy chance as City measured each pass in the final third to open up Athletic but unfortunately the build-up wasn't ended with a goal that it deserved as the Derby County loanee saw a fierce shot from the edge of the box whistle just wide of the post.
Time was running out for City and after McCartan saw a superb low cross into the six-yard box amount to nothing, another ex Oldham man Dominic Poleon was brought on as the Bantams looked to try knock on the door for an equalising goal.
With the minutes remaining down to single figures, Oldham doubled their advantage through Aaron Amadi-Holloway. Two substitutes combined as Ryan McLaughlin floated a cross into the box which was guided into the bottom corner by the head of the Welsh forward, leaving Doyle rooted to the spot and helpless.
Jordan Gibson was brought off the bench for a late cameo after a bright stint in last weekend's defeat and he halved the deficit with his first goal for the club. Looking to cause Oldham some problems down the left-hand side, he got the better of his man before seeing a low cross towards goal somehow get the better of Johny Placide at his near post.
A healthy six minutes were added on at the end of the 90 and Poleon spurned a very good opportunity to level the scores with just seconds to go, slicing a shot wide of the target after a shooting chance fell his way inside the box. Colin Doyle hurriedly came forward for the last corner and basically the last action of the game but it unfortunatelyt amounted to nothing as the hosts cleared their lines and held on for a victory and three points.