Micky Mellon full of praise for Jack Stevens after Oldham draw with Fleetwood

Oldham manager Micky Mellon praised game-changer Jack Stevens after the winger came off the bench to rescue a point in a 1-1 draw at home to Fleetwood.

Mellon admitted his players had endured a lacklustre first half against a team that had defied an 11-man injury list to dominate and lead 1-0 at the break through Mark Helm’s stoppage-time free-kick.

But a change of tactics inspired a change in fortunes for an Oldham team that had lost their previous three games and were desperate to avoid a fourth.

Mellon was relieved when Stevens struck in the 78th minute with a brilliant finish across goalkeeper Jay Lynch.

“It was a great finish. In hindsight you’re thinking maybe I should have started with him but that’s given me something to think about now and I’ll take the responsibility,” said Mellon, who lined up with a 5-3-2 formation initially.

“We were miles off it in the first half. We just didn’t have enough energy and quality about us.

“We weren’t good enough with the ball in the first half. I pick the team and the shape, I take full responsibility for that, but I can’t go out there and pass a football for you.

“But it was a lot better in the second half. We looked a lot more aggressive and when we did have the ball it was less frantic.

“We had some good periods and were the better side in the second half and probably the minimum we deserved was the result in the end.”

Fleetwood’s interim head coach Matt Lawlor admitted he might have settled for a point beforehand, given they had lost their previous two and experienced striker Ched Evans was ruled out on the morning of the game.

But after Manchester United loanee Ethan Ennis was twice denied by Mat Hudson and Matty Virtue’s goalbound shot struck his own team-mate Will Davies and was blocked, he could not help but wonder what might have been.

“There’s a sense of frustration. Before the game would I have taken a point? I might have taken it after two defeats, but I come away a little bit frustrated we haven’t won,” said Lawlor.

“You lose someone like Ched Evans, he’s hard to replace, but Owen Davenport did a great job and Will Davies ran his socks off.

“We’re going to need everyone. We had 11 injuries last week, we had two back today, so it goes down to nine, and then we gain two more so we’re back up to 11.

“I think the shift we put in today, the boys are playing for us. They’re battling and even with injuries we should have been out of sight in the first half.”