Selim Benachour hails Oldham character after fine fightback in Forest Green draw
Posted Sunday, December 12, 2021 by PA
Interim Oldham boss Selim Benachour saluted his team’s character after they came from 4-1 and 5-3 behind to earn a stunning 5-5 draw against leaders Forest Green.
Oldham remain in the drop zone but Benachour was proud of his team’s comeback in the second half.
“It really was a great game,” said Benachour, who has no idea how long he will remain in temporary charge for.
“My players gave absolutely everything to get back in the game – they just never gave up.
“At 4-1 behind we were in a difficult situation, but we continued to fight and fight and in the end we got a point.
“All the players showed lots of character, and hopefully that will give them all some additional confidence heading into the next few games.
“We could even have gone on to win the game, but we have to settle for a draw.
“I think I made the right changes at the right times in the second half, and it’s worked.
“I was delighted with the personality and the character of all the players – this makes me so proud.
“It was the craziest game, but I certainly never gave up on the touchline.
“I love these lads, and this was a top point for us today.”
Rovers led 3-1 at the interval after Davis Keillor-Dunn had cracked home from 30 yards to give the hosts an early lead.
Jack Aitchison evened it up swiftly, before a couple of well-taken efforts from Jamille Matt had Rovers in cruise control.
The visitors added a fourth from Mathew Stevens shortly after the restart, before Oldham substitute Hallam Hope clawed it back to 4-2 in the 55th minute.
Keillor-Dunn volleyed in to make it 4-3 before Stevens’ tidy strike made it 5-3.
Oldham sub Jack Stobbs then made it 5-4, before Kane Wilson’s own goal incredibly evened it up again to leave Rovers boss Rob Edwards somewhat stunned.
He said: “That’s a real freak result, after what was a freak game.
“To be honest I thought you could maybe see it coming after the early stages, but credit to Oldham, they never gave in and I really don’t know where that comeback came from.
“We didn’t defend well enough at times. We gifted Oldham at least one or two goals, and that’s given them the belief.
“When we were 4-1 up we should have seen the game out, though.
“Something happened, and now it’s up to me to look back at the game and pick the bones out of it.
“It will take a long time to do that, but at least we didn’t lose the game.
“Perhaps that was the most important thing, that we didn’t go on to lose the game.
“It’s disappointing that our winning run is over of course, and we’ve been punished, and is it a blip? Maybe it is, hopefully not.”
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