25/04 - 20:00
26/04 - 20:00
A tight encounter and a goalless draw against Swindon Town on Saturday afternoon ensured Frankie Bunn’s Oldham Athletic side extended their unbeaten start to the season away from home to five games.
The Latics almost snatched all three points in the closing moments as Congolese international Christopher Missilou raced clear through on goal before being hacked down by Swindon midfielder Matt Taylor, a challenge that referee Craig Hicks felt was worthy of a straight red card.
Saturday’s game at the County Ground was the first occasion in the league this season in which The Robins had failed to score a goal, a statistic that boasts the defensive quality Bunn has available to him.
The draw on Saturday took the Latics to nine points on the road this campaign, a tally accumulated following wins over Morecambe and Grimsby Town as well as further draws against Forest Green Rovers and Yeovil Town.
Bunn’s side have only conceded the one goal during this run, a feat that is bettered by no team in the top four divisions and only matched by the current Premier League leaders, Manchester City.
This is the same side that conceded 42 goals away from home in League One last season, which was only equalled by fellow relegated side Northampton Town.
🚌 Fewest AWAY goals conceded in 2018/19 (top 4 tiers; all comps):
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) October 2, 2018
1⚽️: Man C, 💥OLDHAM💥
2⚽️: Chelsea
3⚽️: Liverpool, Wolves, Swansea
4⚽️: Crystal Palace, Portsmouth, Yeovil
📝: https://t.co/U5rhV1NMI5 #oafc @OfficialOAFC pic.twitter.com/AOlqvnWhHg
So what has exactly changed from the previous campaign?
Well, it appears as though Bunn has drafted together a near perfect backline featuring promising young goalkeeper Daniel Iversen, experienced leader Peter Clarke and a younger prototype of Clarke in George Edmundson, a product of the Latics youth academy.
Iversen, Clarke and Edmundson along with full-backs Robert Hunt and Andy Taylor have made up the back five for the Latics in the last four away games, a run that has seen a clean sheet kept in each of those fixtures.
Following a home draw with Colchester United prior to Saturday’s draw with Swindon, Bunn will be hoping his side can return to winning ways this evening as they travel away to face Mansfield Town.
Eight places yet only two points separate the opposing sides with the Latics boss aware that a win could see his side climb to fourth in the League Two table whilst also furthering the unbeaten away run his defence have worked so hard to maintain so far this season.
