FRANKIE Bunn barely recognised the Oldham Athletic side that lost the lead twice in defeat to play-off chasing Stevenage.

Twice the Latics were in front either side of half time, with Ishmael Miller first handing the visitors the advantage and Wigan loanee Callum Lang restoring it after the break.

But Stevenage hauled themselves back into the contest through Joel Byrom and Kurtis Guthrie, before returning striker Danny Newton condemned Oldham to a second straight league loss.

Bunn was perplexed by his side’s implosion but took heart from their ability to score twice and create a catalogue of chances away from home.

“We dominated large parts of the game but we have conceded too many goals right in the middle of their purple patch,” said the Boundary Park chief.

“They had had very few efforts on goal and we have had numerous chances and we managed to score two goals – and whenever you score two away from home you’d expect to come away with at least a point.

“That wasn’t like us because when we have taken the lead this season we have usually been able to see the game out – and obviously that wasn’t meant to be.

“We ran out of steam towards the end of the game and Stevenage are a big physical team and they are very good from set plays.

“We have just got to keep on plugging away and although we think we have done enough to get something out of the game, we haven’t.

“It is now a case of rolling our sleeves up and going again on Tuesday night – they’re coming thick and fast now and we have the opportunity to put this result right.

“We have scored five goals in the last two games so it’s frustrating that we haven’t come away with anything – but we move onto the next one now.”

The Latics started the brighter of the sides and threatened an early opener twice inside just five minutes – Miller watched his effort saved by Seny Dieng and Jonathan Benteke screwed a shot wide.

Bunn’s side couldn’t stay on top though and had a close shave when Ben Nugent’s powerful header at the back post was beaten off the goal line by Latics keeper Daniel Iversen.

The visitors took the lead on 10 minutes as Gevaro Nepomuceno’s corner went uncleared, for nomadic frontman Miller to poke home a third goal of the season from inside the six-yard box.

Alex Revell went close twice in quick succession for Stevenage, first forcing Iversen to sprawl and tip his header over the bar having latched on to John Hunt’s testing cross.

The target man failed to capitalise on a one-on-one opportunity moments later when Steve Seddon found him with a through ball, but he could only send his volley wide.

The hosts found a leveller on 22 minutes when Jamal Campbell-Ryce’s cross fell to the feet of Byrom on the edge of the box and the midfielder struck a sweet left-footed effort in the bottom corner.

Three minutes after the interval Miller had a golden chance for his second of the afternoon only to squander Callum Lang’s cross with his head.

Lang took matters into his own hands just beyond the hour mark, the Wigan loanee tapping in Nepomuceno’s accurate cross with aplomb in the six-yard box.

This began a manic five-minute spell in the second half that saw Oldham’s defence breached once again just minutes later.

Danny Newton’s initial shot was deflected into the path of Guthrie inside the Oldham penalty area, who had the easy task of nodding home.

And Bunn’s side were sunk with nine minutes left to play when Newton nodded in Seddon’s cross at the back post to condemn the Latics to a second straight league defeat.

Stevenage: (4-4-2): Seny Dieng, Luther Wildin, Scott Cuthbert, Ben Nugent (Luke Wilkinson 45), Steve Seddon, Jamal Campbell-Ryce (Ben Kennedy 56), Joel Byrom, Michael Timlin, Johnny Hunt (Danny Newton 58), Kurtis Guthrie, Alex Revell.

Subs not used: Paul Farman, Jimmy Ball, Emmanuel Sonupe, Arthur Iontton.

Oldham: (4-4-2): Daniel Iversen 6, Thomas Hamer 6 (Cameron Dummigan 90 x), Peter Clarke 5, George Edmundson 5, Rob Hunt 6, Callum Lang 7, Dan Gardner 7 (Jordan Lyden, 74 5), Christopher Missilou 6, Gevaro Nepomuceno 6, Jonathan Benteke 5 (Jose Baxter 88 x), Ishmael Miller 6.

Subs not used: Chris O’Grady, Mohammed Maouche, Sam Graham, Ewan McFarlane.

Referee: Graham Scott.

Attendance: 2,583.