Wycombe 2 Oldham 2

Last updated : 18 January 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Ten-man Oldham Athletic continued their season-long unbeaten run away from home in the League with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Wycombe Wanderers.

The Latics led at half time but had to rely on an equaliser five minutes from time from substitute Tony Carss, to preserve their record.

The high-flying visitors opened the scoring after 26 minutes as a John Eyre corner from the Oldham left was headed into the net by Wayne Andrews for his fifth goal of the season.

Wycombe should already have been in front but a miraculous goalline clearance from captain Lee Duxbury prevented home defender Andy Thomson from scoring his second of the campaign.

The half finished on a controversial note when home midfielder Michael Simpson appeared to elbow Julien Baudet, but all the officials missed the incident and Simpson escaped censure.

The second half started in sensational fashion with Oldham being reduced to ten men. Baudet pole-axed Steve Brown with a two-footed tackle and was shown a straight red card by referee Penton.

Home defender Roger Johnson was also booked for dissent for his part in the incident.

Wycombe pressed forward for an equaliser but it was only after Blues manager Lawrie Sanchez made a triple substitution on 69 minutes that the breakthrough came.

Two of the subs combined to create the equaliser with Darren Currie supplying the cross and Richard Harris heading his third goal of a personally frustrating season.

The home pressure paid off after 83 minutes with a penalty. Chairboys defender Danny Senda dribbled into the Oldham area and was shopped down by Chris Armstrong who was booked for his trouble.

The impressive Brown easily beat Aussie keeper Les Pogliacomi to put the home side in dreamland with only seven minutes to play.

Oldham though, proved that they are a difficult nut to crack by equalising from the re-start, a goalmouth melee ensued in the home defence following a flick-on by impressive Oldham defender Fitz Hall and substitute Carss drove through a pack of legs for the equaliser.

Oldham manager Dowie commented: "We dominated the game for long periods and should have won.

"There is so much heart in the team, one of the best performances away this season.

"One decision by the referee changed the game when he failed to pick up the elbow on Julien Baudet right on half time. They had four shots on goal in the second half, the goal, the penalty and two saved by Les Pogliacomi.

"Still, the unbeaten record goes on away from home, but we were unlucky." Sanchez had this to say: "The sending-off possibly cost Oldham all three points as we came into the game in the second half.

"We knew it would be a hard game, they harry and hustle and stop your playing. We seem to be accumulating points, but it's four unbeaten this year and so we move on."