A tense National League encounter at Roots Hall saw Southend United secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Oldham Athletic, a result that ended the visitors’ five-match unbeaten run. Referee Kirsty Dowle oversaw a cagey affair that was ultimately decided by an early goal.
The breakthrough came in the 10th minute when Keenan Appiah-Forson netted for the hosts, energising the home support and putting Oldham on the back foot. Oldham manager Micky Mellon responded swiftly, introducing Mike Fondop-Talum in place of James Norwood in the 26th minute.
A further change for Oldham followed at half-time, with Jesurun Uchegbulam replacing Dan Gardner. The second half unfolded with both teams battling for control, Southend seeking to double their advantage and Oldham pressing for an equaliser.
As the game intensified, so did the challenges, leading to a series of yellow cards. Fondop-Talum was booked in the 62nd minute, followed by Southend’s Tom Hopper in the 69th minute and Oldham’s Jake Caprice in the 82nd.
Both managers then turned to their benches in an attempt to influence the match. Southend made a double substitution in the 64th and 65th minutes, with Cavanagh Miley and Nathan Ralph entering the fray. Oldham responded with a double change of their own in the 74th minute, bringing on Corry Evans and Vimal Yoganathan. Southend then replaced goalscorer Appiah-Forson and Leon Chambers-Parillon with Oliver Coker and Jack Bridge in the 77th minute. A final substitution for Oldham saw Joe Garner replace Jake Leake in the 88th minute as they searched for a late leveller.
Despite Oldham’s late pressure, Southend’s defence held firm, securing a valuable three points that moved them up to 8th in the table with 59 points. Oldham, meanwhile, remained in 4th place on 66 points. The victory marked Southend’s second win against Oldham in their five recent meetings, with the other three fixtures ending in two draws and a single victory for Oldham. Southend bounced back from a defeat in their previous match.