Allott injury fails to rock Latics

Oldham made it just one defeat in eight games to leave struggling Oxford deeper in relegation trouble. The U's have now gone five games without a win and are just one place above the drop zone following this defeat at Boundary Park. They had enough chances to get something out of a closely fought contest but were continually let down by poor finishing in front of goal. The Latics went in front after 32 minutes when Steve Whitehall hit the target with a free-kick which was deflected into the net. It was Whitehall again who grabbed a second with two minutes to go to finally put the game beyond Oxford's reach.

A brace of goals from Steve Whitehall gave Oldham a 2-0 victory against lowly Oxford at Boundary Park today. Whitehall turned the course of the match with a deflected free-kick in the 33rd minute before sealing all three points with a second goal, in the 88th. United looked good going forward early on and would have taken the lead with better finishing. Matt Murphy and Derek Lilley both tested Gary Kelly and Steve Anthrobus also went close. The Latics must have thought it wasn't going to be their day when they lost top scorer Mark Allott on 17 minutes with a hamstring injury. Allott is one of manager Andy Ritchies key players and one of the few he believes can hold the ball up successfully, they sorely missed him when he was ruled out with a stomach bug last weekend. Fortunes changed however when a Whitehall freekick on 33 minutes took a wicked deflection with keeper Paul Lundin left going completely the wrong way. At the start of the second half Paul Powell had the chance to draw Oxford level and then Jamie Cook forced a good save from Kelly. Athletic were generally in control after the goal though and created the better chances. Matthew Tipton, who replaced Allott, had a couple of efforts and Adams had a chance cleared off the line. On 88 minutes John Sheridan received the ball, took his time, and then fed Whitehall to round things off by squeezing a shot between Lundin and the post.

Cureton notched his 15th in the 23rd minute, Robert Trees scored his first for the club in the 57th before Wrexham's Phil Hardy was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Neil Roberts pulled one back for Wrexham before his Rovers namesake slotted in his 17th after 78 minutes.

Chesterfield clambered off the bottom of the table by handing Millwall only their second defeat in 14 games with an unlikely 2-0 win over the promotion chasers. Steve Wilkinson notched the first after 40 minutes and Chris Beaumont gave the Salts their fourth win of the season after 83 minutes.

Stoke, with a better record away from home, looked set to improve when they went 2-0 up against Burnley through Peter Thorne after 68 minutes and an own goal by Steve Davis three minutes later.

But Andy Payton pulled one back from the penalty spot after 76 minutes and made it 2-2 with his 18th of the season seven minutes from time.

Reading ended a run of 13 games without a win when goals from Darren Caskey in the 22nd and 78th minutes gave them a much needed 2-0 victory over Colchester.

Blackpool are now 14 games without a clean sheet after Eidur Ingimarsson's 10th-minute goal gave Brentford a 1-0 win at Bloomfield Road.

Mark Stein's 10th league goal after 75 minutes put Bournemouth in front against Scunthorpe, but less than a minute later Andrew Dawson made it 1-1.

Two goals from Steve Whitehall in the 32nd and 88th minutes ensured Oxford maintained a record of never tasting victory at Boundary Park, going down 2-0.

Bristol City made it six games without defeat when they managed a 0-0 draw at Bury.