County fell to a cagey 1-0 defeat at neighbours Oldham Athletic on Saturday afternoon, with former Hatter Mark Kitching’s early header proving the difference at Boundary Park.
In our second pre-season outing so far this summer, left-back Kitching’s first-minute header gave the National League side the lead inside 52 seconds with what proved to be the winner.
After an entertaining 2-3 win at National League North side Chester FC a week prior, boss Dave Challinor went again with a 3-4-3 formation in Greater Manchester – Corey Addai starting in goal behind a back three of Kyle Knoyle, Sam Hughes and Ethan Pye.
Kyle Wootton again captained the visitors in attack, whilst Will Collar was named on the bench after withdrawing in the warm-up at Chester last weekend.
Trialist A, starting at left wing-back for County, tripped opposite number Josh Kay out on Oldham’s right early on, with Kitching rising to plant a close-range header past Corey Addai in front of the 800+ travelling fans.
The visitors dominated first-half possession without much to show for their efforts in response, with a Lewis Fiorini free-kick fired narrowly over the crossbar, and Wootton powering a header over Mat Hudson’s crossbar after good work by Trialist A down the Hatters left.
Odin Bailey tried his luck from another County free-kick just prior to the half-hour mark, with his effort coming closer still and creeping just wide of Hudson’s upright.
Perhaps the best Hatters chance of the half fell to the busy Trialist A moments later, with Fiorini’s clipped through ball falling to the left-sided defender who blazed over the crossbar from the edge of the area.
In an increasingly watchable affair before the half-time break, the impressive Josh Kay crossed for striker Mike Fondop, who was inches away from connecting for a Latics second.
From the other flank, Kitching then pulled back for the onrushing Kay to fire just wide of Addai’s far post from inside the area as the hosts ended the first half strongly.
Challinor introduced five fresh faces immediately after the interval, with Ben Hinchliffe replacing Addai in goal, Callum Connolly on for Knoyle, Ibby Touray for Ethan Pye, Jid Okeke for Lewis Fiorini, and Callum Camps in place of Trialist B.
Whilst the same shape was retained for the visitors, substitute Okeke slotted in at right wing-back and Jack Diamond moved into the attacking left flank position vacated by Fiorini.
County, again decked out in the new pink and black away strip, kicked towards the noisy away support in the second half and saw the newly-introduced Camps curl low and straight at Hudson after a mazy Jack Diamond run five minutes into the restart.
Ten minutes into the second half, Oldham should have doubled their lead when Kitching crossed well for the unmarked Oli Hammond to head home, only for Ben Hinchliffe to superbly push behind for the corner.
On the hour mark, Challinor called for his remaining six changes as Trialists C and D, Will Collar, Joe Hillary, Che Gardner and Cody Johnson all entered the fray.
Perhaps to be expected after the number of changes for both sides, the remainder of the afternoon’s proceedings rather petered out with very few chances of note coming for either side.
Challinor’s League Two champions now embark on a second annual summer training camp trip to Spain this coming week, where Championship side Derby County will face off against The Hatters next Friday morning (11am local time, 10am BST).
County first-half XI (3-4-3): Addai; Knoyle, Hughes, Pye; Diamond, Bate, Trialist B, Trialist A; Bailey, Wootton, Fiorini.
County second-half XI (3-4-3): Hinchliffe; Connolly, Hughes (Trialist C, 60), Touray; Okeke, Camps (H Johnson, 84), Bate (C Johnson, 60), Trialist A (Hillary, 60); Bailey (Collar, 60), Wootton (Trialist D, 60), Diamond (Gardner, 60).
Booked: Lewis Bate, Trialist C (County).
Attendance: 2,187 at Boundary Park (with 883 County fans).
Reporter: Sam Byrne
Photographer: Phil Oldham
