Oldham look to keep the playoff flame alive when they face Halifax Town in National League action.
Latics' recent stalemate with Oxford City has left playoff hopes hanging on by a thread with Oldham now six points adrift of Aldershot Town in seventh with two to play.
The trip to Halifax on Wednesday is set to be decisive for Micky Mellon’s men, who likely need to be perfect in their final two National League outings to continue playing into May.
A win at the Chesterfield stadium would close the gap to Halifax to two points, whilst Athletic will have to breach uncharted territory, with the club without a win against Halifax in three meetings.
The Opposition
Halifax have endured a difficult past five days having picked up just a point from six against Barnet and Ebbsfleet at the Crown Ground, though chances of playoff football remain in their hands with a game in hand over the sides above them.
Their stalemate with Ebbsfleet on Monday evening allowed Aldershot to climb above them following their impressive 1-0 win at Gateshead on Wednesday, though a third successive 'home' game gives Halifax another opening to strengthen their standing.
Meanwhile the result earlier in the week was their first clean sheet at the Shay since January, a more recent reminder of their terrific defensive prowess that they will hope to use to make inroads into playoff contention.
Key Threat
Though not a prolific statistical season, Florent Hoti’s impact on this Halifax side is transparent, particularly in the final third.
The Kosovan has spent much of his career in Scotland, including at Dundee United before he made the move to Tranmere Rovers, though the midfielder had struggled to establish a starting spot at any club.
His 24 appearances this campaign are by far the most in any season, and though he has contributed with five goals and two assists in the National League, it tends to be his influence in possession that makes him such a threat.
His excellent play and pass for Rob Harker’s second in the 4-2 win over Chesterfield just a glimpse of Hoti’s quality on the ball. His terrific spin on the half-turn and perfectly waited pass provides boss Chris Millington with a man who can produce those decisive moments, whilst he hopes Hoti can provide a little magic against Latics.
In the dugout
Millington has enjoyed a good start to life in management since he joined the club ahead of the 2022/23 season, where previously the Halifax boss had only taken up assistant roles.
A solid 11th place finish last season saw the Shayman establish solid foundations under new guidance, whilst improvements have been made this season across the pitch, marking impressive progress under Millington.
Having already beaten their points tally and goals scored, maintaining a terrific defensive setup has seen Millington’s men take strong strides towards a return to the playoffs.
Formerly assistant at Boundary Park, the Englishman will hope to complete the league double over his former employers, whilst a win would be crucial in his bid to secure playoff football with Halifax for the first time.
Match Details
The referee is Stuart Morland, with assistants Matthew Bacon and Tom Wall. The fourth official will be Callum Jones.
Match coverage and information
Live audio commentary is available on Latics Player, guiding you through the match.
For more information, visit the Latics Player page by clicking here.
Alternatively, supporters can also follow the game with live updates on the club's official Twitter account: @OfficialOAFC
As this game is not being played within the blocked broadcast hours stipulated by UEFA, live streaming will be available through National League TV for supporters in the UK and overseas.
Matchday passes are available for £9.50, with further details here.
As always, we will endeavour to ensure confirmation of the line-up is published as soon as possible on social media.
However, supporters should note that team sheets in the National League are not exchanged until an hour before kick-off. This is 15 minutes later than in the EFL and as a result, the line-up is likely to be published slightly later than in previous seasons.
