Oldham Athletic 0, Barrow 1 [Quigley 90]

ROB Kelly began his second stint as Barrow’s caretaker boss this season with a dramatic 1-0 victory at Oldham (writes Simon Smedley).

Scott Quigley was the Bluebirds’ hero, as his brilliant 90th-minute strike won the game and lifted his side out of the drop zone.

Quigley charged on to sub Jamie Devitt’s through-ball before smashing clinically past Ian Lawlor.

So, with Kelly at the helm again after replacing Michael Jolley this time, he opted to make a couple of changes to the side which started Saturday’s home defeat by Morecambe.

Dion Donohue was absent altogether for the trip to Boundary Park, so up stepped veteran Jason Taylor in his place. Further forward, Luke James was back in the starting XI, with Devitt dropping to the bench.

The visitors began the game encouragingly enough, and only two minutes in they threatened a shock early breakthrough when Oldham ‘keeper Lawlor whacked a regulation clearance straight at his team-mate Kyle Jameson.

Quigley was hovering in the hope of pouncing on the loose ball, but the Oldham defender managed to clear the danger.

After eight minutes ex-Oldham man and now Bluebirds skipper Neal Eardley came close when his deep cross had Lawlor scrambling to clear before the ball flew over him towards goal.

Oldham’s first opportunity came after 15 minutes when Conor McAleny forced Joel Dixon into a smart stop, but it was the Bluebirds who were on top in the opening quarter.

James was next to go close when his strike was deflected inches off target by the Latics’ Arsenal loanee defender Harry Clarke.

Harry Kewell’s Oldham were starting to look a little rattled, and Quigley’s 25-yard strike forced Lawlor into a smart flying stop. It was getting to the stage where the Bluebirds needed to register the goal their command of the game so far had warranted, but it was Oldham who fashioned the final opportunity of the opening period.

McAleny turned neatly past Eardley before flashing an 18-yard drive narrowly past Dixon’s far post.

Oldham created the first opportunity after the restart.

The ball was worked out to German midfielder Marcel Hilssner, and he saw a deflected shot comfortably gathered by a grateful Dixon.

Oldham’s recent capture Serhat Tasdemir then fired well off target despite being in plenty of space just outside the Bluebirds’ box.

The quality of the game began to suffer as heavy rain swept across the Boundary Park surface, but a moment of near genius so nearly gave the visitors the lead in the 66th minute.

Quigley pounced on a loose ball before cracking in a left-footed drive from 25 yards which thumped the crossbar, bounced down, hit the bar again, before relieved ‘keeper Lawlor was able to gather.

The Barrow players screamed that the ball had gone over the line, but referee Mr Salisbury was unmoved.

As the Bluebirds maintained their forward momentum, Lawlor got down well to keep out Ollie Banks’ low free-kick.

However, at the other end Dixon was clearly deemed lucky to have only received a yellow card when he handled outside his area as he charged out in a bid to thwart sub George Blackwood.

That soon proved inconsequential, however, thanks to Quigley’s late heroics.