Oldham Athletic progressed into the National League Promotion Final in style, causing a huge shock as they eased past York City at the LNER Community Stadium.
Match Freshness Trumps Rest & Form
Criticism had been thrown at the National League for their Play-Off scheduling. York hadn’t played in fifteen days, since recording a seventh victory in eight games against Eastleigh on the final day of the campaign. Despite four wins in Oldham’s final seventeen regular season games, they thrashed FC Halifax Town four nil just six days before this meeting. And it was the Latics who looked the much fresher outfit.
While Micky Mellon’s side didn’t have the same fast start as they did against Halifax, where the Latics led by three goals after twelve minutes, they capitalised on a defensive error to lead in midway through the opening period. Alex Hunt’s poor control was pounced upon by Vimal Yoganathan. Joe Garner was there to fire in another impressive goal in the Play-Offs, eleven years on from his remarkable volley for Preston North End against Rotherham United.
That was one of the only real highlights from the first 45 minutes, but six minutes into the second half, the game was all-but over. Yoganathan rifled into the far corner from Mike Fondop‘s layoff to send the away support wild, and those fans could barely believe their luck when Joe Pritchard added a third two minutes later. Garner turned provider on this occasion, whipping the ball for the former Accrington Stanley man to glance home and secure a comprehensive victory at relative ease.
Three Up?
In recent years, there has been an increase in the support for three up, three down between League Two and the National League. York benefited from this system in some respects when they last won promotion from the National League. The Minstermen overcame Luton Town at Wembley, with the Hatters defeating second place Wrexham in the Semi-Finals, who had finished on 98 points. In more recent times, the Red Dragons pipped Notts County to the title, with both sides finishing the campaign with a points tally of over 100.
While the Magpies went onto win the Play-Offs, York haven’t enjoyed the same fate. Their tally of 96 points is one of the highest achieved to not win promotion in the English game. On a night which promised so much for the home side, the endeavours of divisional top scorer Ollie Pearce and ex-Oldham loanee Josh Stones were to no avail. Despite finishing a mammoth 23 points above their opponents, with Oldham’s points tally closer to relegation than to York, it was successive comfortable Play-Off victories for the visitors.
Writer’s View
Huge credit must go to everyone at Oldham and their supporters, who were magnificent. While York put in a hugely disappointing display, the Latics scored at crucial times. They sent out a real message of intent to either Southend United or Forest Green Rovers, one of whom await at Wembley in the Promotion Final in eleven days time.
