Fleet were left disappointed after a late Oldham goal gave the visitors the points four minutes after Dominic Poleon had equalised against his old club from the penalty spot.

Harry Watling made two changes to his side with Rakish Bingham absent and Craig Tanner dropping to the bench meaning that Louis John and Lewis Page returned to the starting eleven. Oldham’s lineup had three changes with experienced striker James Norwood among the substitutes. 

Mark Cousins was called into a crucial save just six minutes into the match when Tom Conlon’s low effort skipped off the pitch and took a deflection but Cousins managed to adjust his dive to push the ball clear of the post.

Oldham dominated possession for most of the first-half but had little to show in the final third for their superiority and Fleet defended well against the pressure from the visitors’ midfield, even when Mike Fondop, Joe Garner and Mark Kitching carved out half-chances. 

They weren’t helped by an enforced substitution just past the half-hour mark when Page pulled up holding his hamstring after tangling with Jake Caprice and he made way for Greg Cundle. 

And the home fans were just about to head for their half-time cups of tea when Sha’mar Lawson almost found the breakthrough as he caught sight of the Oldham goal from 20 yards but sent a shot curling away from the far post and wide. 

Oldham were frustrated but they were celebrating just three minutes into the second half when Mike Fondop flicked Conlon’s long ball into the box towards Kitching who got beyond Ben Chapman to send his own header towards goal that rather caught everyone by surprise and looped over Cousins and in.

Oldham became comfortable with their lead but the Fleet started to step up the tempo and press the blue shirts in defence. Successive corners saw the battling Franklin Domi send a shot from range off-target and the Fleet’s No.16 wasn’t afraid to go for goal as he registered a couple more efforts at goal.

A lifeline for the Fleet arrived on 81 minutes when Louis John was brought down in the area by Kitching and Poleon stepped up to take it, rifling the ball home to great cheers around the Kuflink Stadium.

There was a feeling the Fleet might even nick the three points after that promising spell on top but it was Oldham who would restore their lead five minutes later when Otis Khan came in on a Kitching delivery from the left to prod a shot beyond Cousins.

EUFC: Cousins, John, Dallison, Olagunju, Page (Cundle 32), Chapman, Wright, Fonguck (Tanga 69), Lawson (Tanner 46), Domi, Poleon. Subs: Ondo, Phillips, Berry
OAFC: Hudson, Ogle, Kitching, Hobson, Monte, Lundstram, Fondop (Gardner 84), Conlon, Garner (Norwood 68), Caprice (Uchegbulam 77), Khan. Subs not used: Moloney, Stretton, Dolan, Hammond.
Attendance: 1,589 (288 away)

Image courtesy of Ebbsfleet United/Dave Plumb