Oldham Athletic head into their next derby aiming to extend a remarkable ten-year unbeaten league run against rivals Rochdale. The Latics have not suffered a league defeat to their neighbours since a 1-0 loss at Spotland in October 2016, a match where a goal from Matty Lund secured bragging rights for Latics' rivals.
Since that day, the two sides have met nine times in league competition, with Oldham winning four and drawing five. The overall historical record heavily favours the Boundary Park side, who have won many of the league meetings between the clubs, with Rochdale claiming several victories and many matches ending level. The next chapter is set for this week, with Oldham travelling to face a Rochdale side currently sitting in the League Two table.
Oldham, positioned with seven points from six games, are looking to bounce back from a 2-1 home defeat to Chesterfield last time out. Their recent form shows one win, one draw, and three losses from their last five outings. They have scored seven goals and conceded nine in the league so far this season. The team will be looking to improve on that defensive record and add to their points tally when they travel to the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday afternoon for a 3pm kick-off.
The most recent league clash came in February, a tight affair settled by a single goal. Mike Fondop's header was enough to clinch it, and was a key moment in Latics' promotion season. That win continued a sequence of positive results in this fixture for Oldham, which includes a dramatic 4-3 victory in manager Micky Mellon's first game in charge, a seven-goal thriller at Spotland.
While Rochdale did win a Football League Trophy tie in December 2018, the league record remains firmly in Oldham's favour as they prepare for the latest instalment. The full squad available for selection can be seen on our squad list. The match kicks off on Saturday, with Oldham looking to stays and maintain their local dominance.
This story first appeared at theoldhamtimes.co.uk
