Two late goals earned Grimsby Town a point as they came from 2-0 down to draw with Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park.
Christopher Missilou put the hosts ahead on 19 minutes before Filipe Morais added a second after half-time.
But the Mariners refused to admit defeat and after substitute Jordan Cook halved the deficit on 81 minutes, Ludvig Ohman’s last-minute header secured a share of the spoils.
Luke Waterfall and Elliott Hewitt came back into the starting XI and Max Wright was handed a first league start of the season as three changes were made to the Town team that began the cup tie against Macclesfield in midweek.
James McKeown started in goal, with Luke Hendrie, Waterfall, Ohman and Liam Gibson in defence.
Hewitt moved forward into midfield where he was joined by Jake Hessenthaler, with Elliott Whitehouse and Wright on the wings as Moses Ogbu and League Two Player of the Month James Hanson formed the attack.
The substitutes were Sam Russell, Cook, Harry Clifton, Harry Cardwell, Charles Vernam, Ethan Robson and Matty Pollock.
Oldham came into the game with just one win to their name so far this season and were looking to improve on that record.
The Mariners had the first chance of the game after a run from Ogbu down the right. His cross was not fully dealt with but when a sliced clearance fell for Hanson, he could only volley over the bar.
An Ogbu cross was caught by home keepr Gary Woods, before Whitehouuse fired over the bar from distance as Town’s positive start continued.
An overhead kick by Missilou at the other end caused no problems for McKeown, then a cross was cleared after a run by Wright.
Hessenthaler had to put the ball out for a corner to cut a cross out on 12 minutes and the ball from the flag was headed out by Waterfall for another one. This time, Ogbu headed clear.
Another home corner came on 19 minutes and this time, it led to a breakthrough as the ball was played in low to the near post and flicked on to MISSILOU, who made no mistake from close range.
A Town penalty appeal was turned down by the referee after Ogbu went down inside the box on 24 minutes after Wright’s low cross.
A shot from Wright four minutes later was blocked by defender David Wheater as the away side continued to look for an equaliser.
Hessenthaler committed a foul to give Oldham a free kick in a dangerous position on 34 minutes but it caused no problems as the ball from it was cleared by Wright.
Town then had a brief spell of pressure which eventually led to a cross from Hendrie being headed over the bar by Hanson.
A Grimsby free kick almost led to another opportunity when Ohman got to the ball first in the air but his header did not find a team-mate.
Waterfall saw a header blocked soon afterwards after a cross from Gibson, with the ball then cleared.
Oldham created a chance when Dylan Fage crossed from the left but Mohammed Maouche could only turn it wide.
One added minute was played at the end of the half and with no further chances for either side, the hosts went in at the break with a narrow advantage.
No changes were made before the restart and Town were immediately on the attack, with Hessenthaler seeing a shot blocked after a knock-down by Hanson. The Mariners appealed for handball but the referee waved play on.
Ogbu was booked for a foul as Oldham looked to break, before Waterfall conceded the first corner of the second half but it didn’t lead to a goalscoring opportunity.
Another home corner came on 50 minutes and after it was initially cleared, Oldham kept possession until a cross was headed over the bar by Wheater.
Thomas Hamer fired over the bar as the hosts kept looking for a second goal, before a Town free kick eventually led to a corner which was played back to Hewitt. His cross was met by Ogbu but the striker could not direct his header towards goal.
A stoppage came when Hanson went down injured but after receiving treatment, the forward was passed fit to continue.
Hendrie was shown the yellow card just after the hour for a foul on Maouche, then a header from Gibson fell into the path of Johan Branger but he shot over the bar.
Cook replaced Gibson on 64 minutes, just after Hanson was fouled to give Town a free kick 25 yards out. The substitute took it himself but sent his shot over the bar.
The second goal came soon afterwards and saw Oldham double their advantage. A cross was whipped in towards the far post by Desire Segbe-Azankpo and MORAIS met it with a diving header to send the ball past McKeown.
Hewitt became the third Town player to be booked when he brought Maouche down, before Vernam replaced Wright and a shot from Ogbu was stopped by Woods.
The keeper also collected the ball after a cross from Hendrie was met by Hanson.
Jonny Smith came on in place of Branger for the hosts on 77 minutes but four minutes later, the Mariners were back in the contest. Ogbu’s cross was mis-kicked by Hanson but the ball fell into the path of COOK and he applied the finish to make it 2-1.
Robson came on for Hewitt in Town’s last substitution, with Oldham’s Mohammad Sylla becoming the latest to be booked for a foul soon afterwards.
Whitehouse won a corner as the visitors looked for an equaliser but Hessenthaler’s delivery was headed wide by Ogbu.
McKeown made a good block from Morais as Oldham looked to put the game beyond the Mariners.
And it proved to be a vital save as seconds later, the away side were level. A free kick from Robson was met by OHMAN and his header beat Woods to make it 2-2 as the contest moved into stoppage time.
Four added minutes were played and although both sides pushed for a winning goal, it didn’t come but the Mariners and their fans would have been pleased to take something from the game having been two goals down.
Town are next in action on Tuesday, when they travel to Salford City.
Oldham: Gary Woods, 34. Thomas Hamer, 18.Dylan Fage, 31.David Wheater (C), 3.Alex Iacovitti, 17.Christopher Missilou, 8.Filipe Morais, 24.Mohamad Sylla, 10.Mohammed Maouche, 7.Johan Branger, 19.Desire Segbe Azankpo.
Subs: 39. Gregor Zabret, 2. Zak Mills, 6. Jamie Stott, 33. Chris Eagles, 26.Jonny Smith, 9. Urko Vera, 16. Scott Wilson.
Town: 1. James McKeown (C), 2.Luke Hendrie, 3.Liam Gibson, 6. Luke Waterfall, 5. Ludvig Öhman, 8.Jake Hessenthaler, 22. Elliott Hewitt, 10. Elliott Whitehouse, 9. James Hanson, 19.Max Wright.
Subs: 3. Sam Russell, 25. Matthew Pollock,15. Harry Clifton,11. Jordan Cook, 12. Ethan Robson, 17. Harry Cardwell, 18. Charles Vernam.
Referee: Sam Purkiss
Attendance: 3,789 (783)
Next Up: Salford (A)
