SCENE SETTER
Reds are ready for their third competitive away trip of the season as we take on Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park tomorrow afternoon, in our third Sky Bet League Two fixture of the campaign.
FORM GUIDE
After three consecutive defeats across three competitions to open the season, the Reds picked up an all-important home win last weekend against Scunthorpe United at The People’s Pension Stadium. Home debutant Tom Nichols scored a first-half goal to guide the Reds to a solid 1-0 victory, in a game of defensive quality and solidity from start to finish, with centre-back partnership Tony Craig and Jordan Tunnicliffe bonding closer than ever.
Our opposition started their competitive season superbly with an impressive 3-0 victory over Carlisle United in the Carabao Cup. New man Bobby Grant impressed with a goal and an assist in the first-half, as the hosts sailed through the rest of the game and into the second round.
Oldham had another home tie to open their League Two season against Leyton Orient. However, after a promising Carabao Cup performance, the Latics fell to a 0-1 defeat when Danny Johnson struck with only seconds to spare.
The Latics then failed to score in a 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Morecambe, and a 3-0 league defeat to Stevenage. In their most recent match, Oldham defeated Wolves U21 4-0 in their first group stage game in the EFL Trophy.
THE HISTORY
In the final game before the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted all football last season, the Reds beat the Latics 3-0 at The People’s Pension Stadium. Goals from Ricky German, awarded Crawley with their first win over Oldham since 2015.
In the three league meetings before this, Oldham ran out victors each time, with 2 home 2-1 victories at Boundary Park and a 3-0 away victory at The People’s Pension Stadium in February 2019. Crawley have failed to win at Boundary Park in their previous 5 meetings.
THE OPPOSITION
Oldham Athletic Manager, Harry Kewell, spent over a year as Reds Head Coach, with assistant Warren Feeney. Kewell left Crawley for Notts County in September 2018, but was sacked after 14 games in charge in November, in a season where Notts County were later relegated to the National League.
Oldham pose an attacking threat with former AFC Fylde teammate of Jordan Tunnicliffe, Danny Rowe, looking likely to start tomorrow afternoon. Despite not setting the world alight in League Two just yet, Rowe scored an unbelievable 149 goals for AFC Fylde between the 14/15 and 18/19 seasons. Scoring 47 times in 28 appearances in the 16/17 season. Rowe certainly knows how to find the back of the net.
Bobby Grant is another attacking threat with plenty of EFL experience. The former Accrington, Fleetwood and Shrewsbury man impressed in a home win over Carlisle, and also scored against Wolves U21 on Tuesday.
TEAM NEWS
Head Coach John Yems has stressed there are no new injury worries in the lead up to the game, but striker Ashley Nadesan could be back into contention to feature tomorrow afternoon.
Tom Nichols looks set to build on his impressive home debut performance last weekend and goalkeeper Glenn Morris is also fully fit.
HOW THEY BET*
Oldham 7/5
Draw 12/5
Crawley 17/10
*Odds correct with EFL partners Sky Bet at time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
COVERAGE
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