EFL midweek round-up: Oldham secure “massive” victory over Leyton Orient

DELIGHTED boss John Sheridan hailed his side’s fighting spirit after Oldham
secured a “massive” 2-0 win against Leyton Orient to rise out of the relegation zone.

The Latics took the lead just after the half-hour mark when Nicky Adams wriggled past Otis Khan down the left and delivered into the near post where George Ray turned a header beyond his own keeper Lawrence Vigouroux.

The O’s were yet to lose under new manager Richie Wellens and pushed to maintain that record when Vigouroux went up for a 95th-minute corner.

However, the Latics broke away and Callum Whelan was able to roll the ball into an empty net at the other end for the clincher. It ended a run of six straight defeats and lifted Oldham above Stevenage on goal difference ahead of their showdown on Saturday.

“There was a lot of fight, desire and spirit about us tonight,” said Sheridan. “We know what the situation is and we played like we’re fighting for our lives.

“We’re going to push and we’re going to have to push and push because we’ve got some big games, but full credit to them after being on a losing run.”

Mansfield missed an opportunity to move into the play-off places as they were held 2-2 at Hartlepool.

The Stags sprinted into a two-goal lead after 25 minutes with George Lapslie turning home the opener and James Perch scoring with a looping header.

But all that good work came undone in the five minutes before half-time. Joe Grey scored from close range to pull one back for Pools before Luke Molyneux fired home from 25 yards to equalise.

Salford continued to make up ground on the play-off places as their tenth game without defeat moved them four points off the top seven.

Brandon Thomas-Asante and Jordan Turnbull gave the Ammies a two-goal advantage against visitors Crawley, who replied with a Tom Nichols header in the 82nd minute.

Rochdale all but secured their place in League Two next year as they ended a seven-game winless run with a 2-0 victory against Carlisle courtesy of Liam Kelly’s penalty and a late goal from Conor Grant.

Written by JOE ACKLAM