Never go astray and stay an honest lovin' son

I told you September was going to be our time. The dog days of summer are over, kids. Autumn, and Oldham, are back.

It was a changed line up again last Saturday at Cambridge, with Mellon junior going straight into the first XI like the nepo baby that he is, and Pett returning from injury. It worked. We started brightly, but then we started brightly at home to Gillingham as well. This time, though, we made it count.

We nearly took the lead early on after a nice move down the left, when Hannant crossed the ball into the box and young Michael’s header hit the far post. Thankfully we didn’t have to wait long to see us take the lead for the first time all season.

Robson started a cracking move by intercepting a loose pass in the middle of the pitch brilliantly and laying it off to Conlon. He passed to Hannant, who passed it back to Robson in the box, who played it back across goal, where young Michael was perfectly placed to tap it in. Get in.

It’s interesting that people have described last Saturday as a ‘backs to the wall’ performance, given that the Cambridge commentator said we were well on top in the first half. In fairness he also talked a LOT about Christmas cards, and how they’re already in the shops, and he didn’t buy any because he’s got loads left from last year, well he thinks he has, he’d better check, anyway you don’t buy them until Advent and it’s not even Halloween yet. Back to you in the studio, Jeff.

We looked solid at the back – Monthe looked back to something approaching his best, Sutton had another very good game, and Daniels put in a great, perfectly-timed tackle in the box to put the ball out for a corner late on in the first half. From the resulting corner, Hudson made an excellent double save.

We were under more pressure in the second half, but we defended well, and engaged in some excellent time-wasting and shithousery, which is always good to see. Credit to Fondop, even when it’s not quite coming off for him up front, he’s brilliant in defence. Hannant did superbly to clear Appere’s shot off the line, and it was rightly celebrated like a goal.

Drummond had another good game and won us a free kick when his dangerous run down the middle was curtailed by him being fouled on the edge of the penalty area. Conlon’s delivery was heading for the top left corner, but Eastwood made a great save.

Bless ‘im, that first goal just won’t come for Drummond, will it? When Fondop headed a Cambridge corner clear in the 90th minute, he made a cracking run on the break, but let’s be honest, even as he was sprinting in on goal, we were remembering Fondop at Altrincham last season. Eastwood made himself big, and Drummond tried and failed to nutmeg him. Gutted for him, it would have been a lovely way to wrap up the game.

But the important thing is that we held on for our first win in the Football League since April 2nd 2022. Which was nice. As summed up by Micky Mellon’s deadpan response to being asked “Micky, what pleased you most about that showing this afternoon?” after the game with “We won”. He was naturally delighted (I think) at the new boy getting the winner, he praised Pett for his professionalism in coming back from in injury, and was full of praise for the fans again. He was, predictably, not full of praise for the FA and their decision to ban Joe Quigley for making a wanker sign at a bunch of people behaving like wankers: “shocking, shocking…. It’s part of the game, let’s all grow up”.

Even after scoring the winner on his debut, young Michael seemed very shy, and it was telling that he was interviewed with Tom Pett almost acting as his chaperone. When asked about his goal, he wouldn’t claim the glory for it – “I think the credit’s got to go to Jamie [Robson], to be honest” – and Pett assured him that it was a good finish. It was a little confusing that Pett kept calling him ‘Mikey’. Fondop’s Mikey. I’m gonna stick with calling him young Michael.

Mellon snr confirmed in his pre-match presser that young Michael doesn’t live with his parents and (with some indignation) didn’t come for Sunday dinner last weekend, but “I would have given him an extra potato for scoring the goal”. Hahahahaha. Get your shooting boots on today and visit your mum tomorrow and you might even get two Yorkshire puddings, son.

The women kicked off their season at home (well, at Hopwood Hall in Middleton) to Bury reserves last Sunday. It was a tough game against a strong side, with Bury winning 2-0. A disappointing result, but a decent performance against a team of experienced players. They’re at Hopwood Hall again this Sunday playing West Didsbury and Chorlton.

We face our old National League nemesis, Bromley, today. It'll be a tough game, but that first League win at Boundary Park is overdue. If young Michael scores again, we'd better see his dad taking him for tea at Elk Mill. KTMFF.

Written by Arlene Finnigan. Photos © Oldham Athletic.