A slow start to the match costs the U's dear on Saturday afternoon, as Oldham Athletic took the points back to the north west.

John McGreal's men found themselves two down within the first fifteen minutes, as things got off to the worst possible start.

They grew into the game, though, and had a multitude of chances in the second forty-five minutes as they sought a path back into the match.

But the Latics held firm as the U's pinned them back to ensure they kept a clean sheet and took the victory.

The visitors started the brighter and were ahead on six minutes when Iacovitti swept home from a corner to open the scoring.

And, as they maintained a strong foothold early in the game, they doubled the lead in horrible circumstances for the U’s at the back.

Kent gave Barnes plenty to do with the backpass, and he miscued it straight into the path of Lang, who took advantage with a calm finish.

It was far from the start that the U’s wanted, but Barnes kept it at two with a good save on the stretch from the dangerous Lang.

And Barnes made another fine stop on 22 minutes to deny Missilou, who fired in a shot from distance after a corner was cleared.

The U’s started to see a bit more of the ball and Vincent-Young stung the fingertips of Iversen with a shot from the edge of the box on the half hour mark.

And they had a huge shout for a penalty five minutes later, as Senior was sent through by Szmodics and was pulled down in the box.

The referee was unmoved, however, and then the U’s went close as Norris almost got on the end of Szmodics’ cross.

The U’s went into the break two behind, but they kept their momentum going in the first ten minutes of the second half, with Norris going close with a header from a corner.

But for all of the pressure the U’s had in that spell, they had to be wary of Oldham’s threat, as Lang hit a fine low volley that was tipped wide by Barnes.

The U’s made their second change straight after this, with Mandron replacing Norris up top.

The home side went close to pulling one back not long after, as Lapslie was inches away from getting on the end of Szmodics’ cross.

They then introduced Dickenson for Lapslie for the final twenty minutes, with Stevenson firing over the bar not long after.

Dickenson then set up fellow sub Nouble, who couldn’t quite get a definitive touch to convert from a good position.

Nouble then went close again, as he tricked his way past two and fired in a low shot that was cleared for a corner.

Dickenson forced a good save out of Iversen from a free kick on the edge of the box, whilst Kent flashed a header wide from a corner.

Szmodics had two shots blocked by Hamer, before Dickenson sent yet another header wide, whilst Nouble had a backheel blocked and Senior skewed a shot wide.

The chances kept coming right until the end of the game, with Nouble having a shot deflected agonisingly wide of the far post.

But, despite a much improved second half effort, they were not able to find a way back into the match.

They slip to ninth, two points outside the top seven, knowing that they now must win at Bury next Saturday to close the gap.