FURIOUS Laurent Banide laid into his Oldham side after surrendering a 2-0 lead for the second time in four days with a 2-2 draw at Scunthorpe.

Christopher Missilou and Johan Branger-Engone’s goals within two second-half minutes had put Latics on course for three points at Glanford Park.

But within a week of throwing away the points in a 2-2 home draw with Grimsby, history repeated itself.

Matty Lund and Kevin van Veen were on hand to level up for the hosts in the last 22 minutes – leaving Banide at a loss at how Oldham are casting aside winning opportunities with alarming regularity.

“It’s amazing because it was the same game as Saturday. We lose control after being 2-0 up,” said the manager.

“I’m angry, I’m very angry because we played well, but it’s important to finish well. We cannot stop playing at 2-0 up. It’s our fault we’ve not won these two games.

“I’m very angry but we have to move on to Saturday.

“It’s very frustrating because we need to continue playing even when we’re 2-0 ahead.

“The game is not finished just because we’re winning by two goals. I don’t understand why this keeps happening.

“It’s a mentality thing and we need to find the solution because we can’t keep drawing after scoring two goals.”

The first half was a rather chanceless affair with Gary Woods easily keeping out Van Veen’s free-kick for the sole opportunity, with neither side getting fully into their groove.

The game sparked into life at the hour mark, with Oldham going ahead when Missilou calmly slotted home for his second goal in two games.

Moments later it was 2-0 when Branger-Engone’s effort squeezed home under Scunthorpe stopper Rory Watson.

The midfielder was celebrating his 50th appearance for the club, an honour that looked to be met with victory heading into the closing third of the match.

But scenes of jubilation were cut short when the hosts pulled one back, Lund blasting past Woods from close range to half the Latics’ lead and set nerves shaking after previous slip-ups.

And the damage was done when Van Veen equalised when his effort nestled into the bottom corner.

Oldham looked the likelier of the sides to find a winner but it wasn’t to be forthcoming, with this result a third 2-2 draw in succession.

It also leaves the Latics with just one win in the League Two season to date, with Banide’s charges in 21st place having failed to win their last four.

The manager added: “Maybe in future we’ll lose these games because we keep giving the opponent these opportunities. We just open the door for them.

“I’m very frustrated, but it’s football, we need to find the solution and get some confidence.

“Nobody’s spoken in the changing room, they’re all down.

“Every time we have the bread in our hand but we don’t eat.

“We must accept it. We’re missing something, we need the mentality to continue playing and we need to score more goals.

“We have to work and try to find the solution. We need to score more goals because every time we score two goals it’s complicated and we don’t win.” 

The early stage of the season it may be but already big games are on the agenda for the Latics, none more so than the weekend’s clash with Morecambe.

Five defeats in the past six matches have represented a wretched run for the Shrimps, one of just three teams sitting below Oldham in this season’s EFL, with nine games now already in the books.

Scunthorpe: Watson, Perch, McGahey, McArdle, Brown, Gilliead, Lund, Songo’o, Eisa (Colclough 72), Proctor, van Veen. 

Subs not used: Eastwood, Clarke, Ntlhe, Miller, Slater, Hornshaw.

Oldham: Woods 5, Hamer 5, Wheater 4, Iacovitti 5, Fage 5, Maouche 5 (Mills 90, 4), Missilou 6, Branger-Engone 7 (Smith 74, 4), Morais 6, Eagles 6 (Sylla 65, 5), Azankpo 5. 

Subs not used: Zabret, Stott, McHale, Wilson.

Referee: Darren Drysdale 

Attendance: 3,020