Watching Harry Kewell’s Latics is not good for your health – that much we knew.

And if you were to have a bingo card for this roller-coaster season you would pretty much have come away with a full house by full-time at the New Lawn.

Some 17 days since Latics’ last outing in League Two and 45 since fog brought an early end to the first attempt to get this game played, Oldham threw in a little bit of everything here.

Great attacking play? Check. Some really, really poor defending? Check. Matching one of the top sides in the division? Check. Goals galore? Check.

But there was one key thing missing that has been a key characteristic for Latics this season.

As the League Two leaders in points gained from losing positions, 21, Latics hauled themselves level twice with Conor McAleny taking himself to six goals for the season, but could not do it a third time having been 2-0, 3-2 and ultimately 4-3 down, returning captain Carl Piergianni heading against the post in stoppage time.

The hosts had gone in front with the game’s first real attack, and certainly not the last, 12 minutes in.

Baily Cargill tried to feed Josh Davison on the edge of the box and he was challenged by Sido Jombati with the ball rebounding to the left back who, unchallenged, sent a shot beyond Ian Lawlor from the edge of the area.

It was almost immediately 2-0 but after Odin Bailey had exchanged passes with Aaron Collins his effort was wide of the mark.

Latics were undeterred though and Alfie McCalmont sent a volley wide before Lawlor was called into action to keep out Bailey’s free-kick midway through the opening period.

McCalmont then had another sight of goal but could not test Lewis Thomas from a tight angle after getting his head on the end of a Bobby Grant centre.

The visitors continued to express themselves in the final third with McAleny firing over when trying his luck from distance before Marcel Hilssner saw a half chance come and go when he couldn’t find his feet in the area.

Kewell’s side were then however undone by another soft goal.

This time, Piergianni could only head Collins’ free-kick up rather than away and Lawlor was beaten far too easily to the ball by Cargill who headed in his second of the night.

After another setback and with referee Robert Lewis an increasingly frustrating presence, the game appeared to only be heading one way.

But Latics hit back and halved the deficit, Davis Keillor-Dunn pouncing on a loose ball and feeding Bobby Grant who beat Thomas and a couple of diving defenders with the aid of a deflection.

Forest Green had the first opening of the second period with one-time Latics target Jamille Matt, a half-time substitute, seeing his shot well-blocked by Piergianni.

McAleny’s effort from 20 yards at the other end was then tame after some neat play on the edge of the area. He wouldn’t have to wait long for his goal though, Latics levelling things up nine minutes into the second half.

Hilssner should have done the job when through on goal but after his effort was saved, the ball found its way to McAleny who kept his cool on his left foot for his first goal in five matches.

The joy was shortlived though as the hosts were gifted another goal on the hour mark to go back in front.

Bailey teased a cross over and with neither Lawlor nor Jombati dealing with the ball, Matt headed home from close range.

The second half was only just getting warmed up though with Latics back on level terms on 63 minutes.

McAleny showed his predatory instincts when taking the ball just inside the area and firing a low shot into the corner beyond Thomas.

Latics’ ability to continually shoot themselves in the foot would return just four minutes later though as substitute Isaac Hutchinson broke down the right and sent over a ball that a diving Davison headed home for the fourth goal in just 13 second-half minutes.

True to form, the visitors kept coming in search of the game’s eighth and there was nearly another immediate response.

McAleny was denied a hat-trick by a strong save from Thomas at his near post before on the next attack Keillor-Dunn’s curling effort came off the outside of the post.

After a truly crazy period the game then calmed, the visitors drawing breath before a big finish.

First, substitute Marcus Barnes had a sight of goal five minutes from time but headed over after rising highest to meet Nicky Adams’ corner.

The pair then nearly linked up again two minutes later but Adams’ in-swinging cross was just out of the reach of the striker.

The best chance came halfway through six minutes of stoppage time though, Piergianni greeting another Adams corner with a thumping header that came back off the post.

Keeping their fans interested to the death, this was just another night in the life of Kewell’s Latics with severe defensive deficiencies undoing all the good work in the final third on this occasion, 50 League Two goals now having been conceded this season.