Micky Mellon proud of son Michael after Oldham winner on debut

Boss Micky Mellon praised his son Michael after his debut goal earned Oldham their first win back in the EFL.

The Latics had only lost twice in the opening six League Two games but remained winless until Saturday’s 1-0 success at Cambridge.

Michael Mellon, on loan from Burnley, netted the winner in the first half.

“He’ll score goals, he’s always been a goal scorer,” said Mellon senior afterwards.

“He’s done what he’s supposed to do today, came in and helped the team to get a really important victory, so I’m really proud of him.

“If he comes in and scores the winner every week we’ll all be very happy! The Mellons at home will be delighted.

“It’s a team effort. The lads, after we got that first goal, fought their hearts out, again buoyed on by magnificent support. We got what we probably should have got weeks ago, but we’re off the mark now.

“It’s a different type of performance. We’ve come away from home and played some really fantastic football and got nothing from it, but we dug in today and we fought and scrapped.

“We got that first goal, which is always important, and we stood our ground and fought hard. When the ball came in our box we were first to it.

“We knew we weren’t far away. We knew when we got that first goal at some stage that we would be gritty, dogged and determined as you’ve got to be. We showed our real qualities today and we can kick on now.”

Cambridge boss Neil Harris said “we fell short today” after watching Cambridge slip to a first home defeat since relegation back to League Two.

“Was the endeavour there, did we compete on the first ball? Yes. We competed, that wasn’t a problem. We got punished with an error leading to a goal and then we didn’t have enough in the final third.

“As much as I might be calm about it, I don’t accept it. I don’t like it. It’s something that we’ve got to get better at.

“We’re not sharp enough, bright enough, creative enough. We work on it in training and we’re good and we’re sharp. Sometimes you just have to accept we didn’t do enough to win the game.

“Let’s talk about the goal. We turned the ball over, we’ve got six players behind the ball. For the ball to end up in the goal’s criminal. Every goal we’ve conceded we’ve shot ourselves in the foot. I have to expect more from my defenders.

“When we did get the ball into the final third, we didn’t have the creativity again.”