Bunn frustrated as Oldham are pegged back by Tranmere

Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by PA

Oldham boss Frankie Bunn felt his side were denied a deserved victory after spirited Tranmere came from behind to share the spoils at Prenton Park.

Johan Branger had given the Latics a first-half lead but after missing chances to extend their advantage they were pegged back by Connor Jennings 18 minutes from time.

The visitors had a late penalty appeal waved away, infuriating Bunn in what had been a ferocious battle.

He said: “It was blood and guts. A typical local derby. We turned up to the party and again I thought we deserved more. The officiating for me has let us down again.

“(We were) very good. Passionate, knowhow, knowledge, desire – everything that we asked. We asked them to start brightly because we were loose first half last week.

“They’ve come out the blocks, set a tempo and stuck to it and we’ve put Tranmere to the sword, who are very good at home. They’ve got a terrific record, they’ve only lost once here.

“Again, I felt we should have got three points.

“It was a tough game, it was end-to-end, a battle, a physical encounter with two goals from set plays. It was really tight.

“We’ve had a couple of clear-cut chances where if we’re a little bit sharper we would’ve finished, but overall a pleasing performance.”

Oldham led six minutes before the break when Tranmere failed to clear a corner allowing Branger to drill home low from 12 yards out.

Ishmael Miller fluffed a chance to double the Latics’ advantage, shanking wide before substitute Sam Surridge went clean through on goal but was denied by the outstretched hand of Scott Davies.

But 18 minutes from time a James Norwood free kick was flicked into the path of Jennings who fired home the equaliser.

Surridge wanted a penalty late on but the referee instead gave an initial foul from Manny Monthe outside the area.

Rovers boss Micky Mellon said: “I called it on Friday. It would be nip and tuck and there would be nothing in it. It would be the first team to bend that would lose.

“It was a North West head-to-head. Both teams had a right good go at it.

“I don’t think there was anything left in the two groups at the end so every bit of credit to both sets of players. There was nothing in it.

“In these games, sometimes the margins are in the wee bits of fortune that you get. I said to them at half time, we’ve played some good football, go and look for the margins in the game.

“We’ve got a terrific equaliser, it’s a great finish. It was a hard-fought game.

“After half time we were definitely the team in the ascendancy. After we scored the game evened itself out again.”