Oldham twice got here from behind to beat Southend 3-2 in a dramatic Nationwide League play-off last and finish a three-year absence from the English Soccer League.
In entrance of a report crowd of 52,115 at Wembley, substitutes James Norwood and Kian Harratt scored throughout the house of two minutes after Leon Chambers-Parillon had restored Southend’s lead simply seconds into further time.
An early own-goal from Manny Monthe had given the Shrimpers the lead, however was cancelled out by Joe Garner’s penalty after Monthe had been introduced down within the space.
Oldham boss Micky Mellon unsurprisingly named the identical beginning XI which gained 3-0 towards York within the semi-final, solely to see his aspect concede their first aim of the play-offs with simply 4 minutes on the clock.
Gus Scott-Morriss pounced on a free go in midfield and chipped the ball into the realm for Charley Kendall to chase and his presence was sufficient to strain the unlucky Monthe to loft the ball over his personal goalkeeper.
Garner got here near an equaliser when his header from Tom Pett’s nook got here again off the submit and Oldham felt they need to have had a penalty when Mike Fondop went down within the space underneath a problem from Harry Taylor.
Taylor didn’t seem to get a lot of the ball however referee Elliot Bell waved away the appeals and the Oldham followers suffered extra frustration within the final minute of the half as Fondop missed a golden likelihood to equalise.
A defensive clearance was charged down and left Fondop via on aim, however after clipping the ball over goalkeeper Nick Hayes he might solely look on because it drifted agonisingly extensive of the submit.
Latics striker James Norwood made it 2-2 within the one hundred and tenth minute at Wembley
It took lower than a minute of the second half for Oldham to lastly get again on stage phrases, Garner calmly scoring from the penalty spot after Monthe had been introduced down within the space.
Neither aspect was capable of finding a winner in regular time however Southend regained the lead simply seconds into extra-time, goalkeeper Mathew Hudson parrying a deflected cross from Scott-Morriss straight on to the pinnacle of substitute Chambers-Parillon to move into the empty internet.
Oldham refused to throw within the towel and Norwood bought them again on stage phrases for the second time when he latched on to a protracted ball via the center and took a deft contact round Hayes earlier than slotting the ball into an empty internet.
And simply two minutes later Oldham grabbed the winner as Harratt’s curling cross evaded everybody within the space earlier than nestling into the far nook to ship the Latics followers wild.
