Oldham boss Micky Mellon delighted to see Kian Harratt’s hard work rewarded

Kian Harratt cemented his place in the hearts of Oldham’s fans with a last-gasp winner to halt Walsall’s eight-match unbeaten run.

And boss Micky Mellon was delighted with his substitute, whose last goal for the Latics was the extra-time winner at Wembley that took Oldham back into the Football League.

He admitted after the 2-1 Sky Bet League Two win: “We have scored a terrific header right at the end and I am delighted for Kian.

“He has worked hard. We have got into him over the last two or three weeks, he has got his head down, got into condition and looks sharp and capable again. He has got his just rewards.

“It was a really good game of football with a good atmosphere. You’re delighted to score right at the end but I don’t think there would be many with a fair mind who wouldn’t say that Oldham deserved what they got.

“We have had two stonewall penalty kicks and I just don’t understand why they have not been given.

“I’m not going to say I’m delighted because I think we should produce more performances like that. We want the same every week.”

Walsall had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring inside the opening two minutes when Evan Weir let fly with a shot that looked destined for the bottom right corner ,only for Latics goalkeeper Mathew Hudson to deny him with a fine save.

The visitors gradually came into the game and Kai Payne was denied by a decent block before a shot from skipper Tom Pett was deflected wide on the quarter-hour mark. It was from the resulting corner that Oldham broke the deadlock, veteran striker Joe Garner heading home from 10 yards.

Walsall were lively at the start of the second half and duly levelled in the 50th minute. Jamille Matt played the ball out to Daniel Kanu on the left of the area and he drilled an unstoppable shot beyond Hudson.

Twice the visitors had penalty shouts turned down and Jamie Robson was denied by home keeper Myles Roberts in the 90th minute.

But there was to be one final twist with Oldham snatching victory in the last of the six minutes added on when Ryan Woods’ inswinging corner was headed in at the near post by Harratt.

Walsall boss Mat Sadler was disappointed to concede from two corners, particularly with the winner coming in the final minute of added time at the end of the game.

He said: “We pride ourselves on defending set-plays but credit to them tonight, Woods has very good delivery and puts it on the money where their blocks were.

“I thought they showed us real respect. They wanted to win and in the end they got that moment.

“I thought our decision making in the final third wasn’t quite as sharp as we wanted.”