Oldham 1, Bristol Rovers 1

Ten-man Bristol Rovers turned in a battling performance to deny Oldham victory at Boundary Park – and came close to picking up their first away win since March.

The Pirates saw Danny Coles sent off after picking up a second caution late in the game, but survived eight minutes of stoppage time to secure a useful point.

Although the visitors had to soak up some spells of heavy Oldham pressure, they could have pinched a win with Will Hoskins denied by the crossbar and some good saves by keeper Dean Brill.

Hoskins had given Rovers an early lead with an impudent lob after spotting Brill off his line, but Chris Taylor fired home the Latics’ leveller just before the break following a free kick.

Rovers made three changes to the side that had started the 4-0 home defeat to Southampton a week earlier.

Keeper Mikkel Andersen, who had been with the Danish under-21 squad on Friday, was unable to make it to the game after his flight from Copenhagen was unexpectedly cancelled.

So Mike Green made his Football League debut between the posts behind a back four which included Carl Regan at right-back with Byron Anthony in central defence as James Tunnicliffe started on the bench.

Dominic Blizzard began on the right of midfield after Wayne Brown was ruled out by an ankle injury.

The Pirates took the lead after seven minutes when a long ball forward saw M’Voto trying to head the ball back towards his own goal.

Hoskins seized on it and with Brill off his line, the former Watford marksman unleashed a superb lob from 25 yards which saw the ball loop into an unguarded net.

Oldham tried to conjure up a rely from another free kick after 27 minutes, but Green made a fine save to his left to push the ball away after Dale Stephens had let fly with a fierce shot.

Then Stephens tried his luck again from another dead ball just after the half-hour. Once more his attempt from 25 yards beat the Pirates’ defensive wall but Green was able to watch it sail over the crossbar.

Oldham were not to be denied in the final stages of the opening period though. Stephens eyed up another free kick from 30 yards and this time set up Taylor, who fired home from the edge of the box.

And Rodrigue Dikiba wasted a great chance to give the Latics the lead in stoppage time when he headed Paul Black’s cross wide from a couple of yards out.

There was a worry for Rovers early in the second half when Green needed treatment after stretching for a cross – and a let-off a few moments later when Ourmare Tounkara headed wide for the Latics from a good position.

The home side were doing all the attacking as Rovers struggled to re-establish a foothold in the game, but the visitors made a change just before the hour when John Akinde came on for his Pirates debut.

The on-loan Bristol City striker replaced Blizzard and went up front alongside Jo Kuffour, with Hoskins moving to the right wing.

The change made a difference for Hoskins almost put the visitors back in front in the 65th minute when he collected a cross-field pass from Jeff Hughes and sent in a shot which keeper Brill just managed to beat away.

Then, moments later, Hoskins was fed by Akinde and again cut in to unleash an attempt which Brill did well to turn away.

From the resulting corner, the ball flashed up against the crossbar off Hoskins and away to safety as Oldham rode their luck.

Dean Furman went close to putting the home side in front 10 minutes from time when his shot from 28 yards flew a yard wide of Green’s left-hand post.

Rovers were reduced to 10 men in the final stages when Coles received a second yellow card for pulling back Dean Kelly as the striker threatened to break away.

The Pirates sacrificed a striker, with Kuffour making way for Tunnicliffe, as they looked to see the game out and secure a useful point despite referee Geoff Eltringham adding eight minutes of stoppage time.

Rovers almost grabbed a dramatic winner when Akinde latched on to a pass from Gary Sawyer and saw his shot deflected towards the roof of the net, only for Brill to claw it over the top.

At the other end, Stephens crashed a long-range free kick against the Rovers bar as the clock ticked away.

Oldham: Brill, M’Voto, Kelly (Dickov 86), Jarrett, Furman, Taylor, Lee, Stephens, Black, Dikaba (Jacobson 75), Tounkara. Subs: Gerrard, Gregan, Holdsworth, Bembo-Leta, Smalley..

Bristol Rovers: Green, Regan, Anthony, Coles, Sawyer, Blizzard (Akinde 59), Campbell, Lines, Hughes, Kuffour (Tunnicliffe 86), Hoskins. Subs: Reece, Clough, Richards, Pell, Swallow.

Att: 4,039