Wrexham 1, Oldham Athletic 0: FORTUNE doesn't always favour the brave, as Oldham found to their cost at the Racecourse on Saturday when they were mugged by a second-best Wrexham side, who enjoyed a slice of fortune to snatch an unlikely but welcome three points.
The visitors, who had not deserved to win any of the three previous encounters with the Dragons this season, were a very different proposition this time.
But a combination of woeful finishing, dogged defending and a confident dis-play by home goalkeeper Ben Foster kept Wrexham in the hunt. It was Hector Sam, overshadowed in recent months by team-mate Juan Ugarte, who came up trumps with the winner well into the time added on by referee Carl Boyeson.
By avoiding defeat, Oldham would have maintained a healthy points cushion over their opponents in the battle for League One survival but, with Wrexham cutting the gap to three points, Boundary Park boss Ronnie Moore was not a happy man at losing at the last.
But what a gem of a goal it was, typical of the Dragons at their one-touch best and all the more welcome in view of the stuttering display that had gone before.
Steve Roberts launched the ball up-field, where Dennis Lawrence, thrown forward for a last-ditch assault, won his header to find Scott Green. The half-time substitute did well to hold off a challenge before looking up to chip the ball into the middle and Sam gleefully headed past Les Pogliacomi.
The Trinidad striker's opportunities have been limited since Ugarte's arrival but his 64th-minute introduction and that of Green for teenager Levi Mackin after the interval were key to Wrexham's improved second-half showing.
Chances were at a premium in the first period, with Chris Llewellyn going closest for the Dragons with a first-time effort that wasn't far away. But the visitors had the ball in the net after 18 minutes, only for David Eyres's close-range effort from Mark Bonner's cross to be ruled offside.
The Latics relied heavily on the pace of Kevin Betsy down the right but Foster's handling was immaculate for the most part.
Oldham's best chance to take the spoils fell to Haining when Roberts blocked another effort from Killen with six minutes remaining. The rebound came quickly to the off-balance defender and he stabbed his shot inches wide.
When Pogliacomi held on to a 20-yard drive from Ferguson in the 87th minute, a draw seemed inevitable but, with 90 seconds left on the clock, Sam popped up with the goal which transformed what had been a good week for the Dragons into an outstanding one.
Wrexham: Foster, Roberts, Morgan, Lawrence, Edwards, Mackin (Green 45), Ferguson, Crowell, Holt, Ugarte (Sam 64), Llewellyn. Subs not used: Dibble, Pejic, Spender.
Oldham Athletic: Pogliacomi, Holden, Stam, Haining, Griffin, Betsy, Bonner, Hughes, Kilkenny (Eyre 90), Eyres, Killen. Subs not used: Mildenhall, Cooper, Wilkinson, Hall.
Referee: Carl Boyeson. Attendance: 4,170.
