More than 1,500 Oldham Athletic fans made their way over the Pennines in the hope that a run of 1-1 draws would end and result in three points instead of one.

Instead the stalemates continued.

But Micky Mellon has assured supporters that his intention is always to play for three points, despite another 1-1 scoreline.

It was the fourth in a row, and fifth in six games, with this one compounded by a needless dismissal for substitute Otis Khan with two bookings in the space of a minute, the second for dissent when he seemed to suggest referee Aaron Bannister needed glasses.

It left the rest of his team-mates to finish the game a man down, but they defied the numerical disadvantage to display a much-needed urgency and produce one of their best spells of the game. It ended all square nevertheless.

The draws have come about differently.

The first two, at home to AFC Fylde and Gateshead, involved coming back from behind, so in that sense it felt like a point gained each time, with Manny Monthe scoring the equalisers on both occasions. And it was a similar story against Southend at the weekend, with Mike Fondop atoning for his misses in the previous draw at Altrincham as he cancelled out a first-half goal for Gus Scott-Morriss with his second goal of the season.

But Oldham's last two away games are ones they could, and should, have won.

A team that flew out of the traps, albeit against newly promoted Bromley, and dug deep for a win at Wealdstone, has since retreated into its shell, lacking the conviction to really stamp their authority on games and instead resembling the team that limped over the 2023/24 finishing line on an 11-game winless run.

Yes, they have only lost once this season, but equally they don't look like winning with a lone striker system that has become increasingly ineffective.

The draw specialists of the second half of last season have become the 1-1 draw specialists since this campaign began, despite Mellon bringing in the specialist players he earmarked to help turn Latics into a team that can challenge for promotion.

Monthe has been a man mountain at the back but it is up front where they need more aggression and assertiveness here.

They missed the midfield influence of Harry Charsley at the Shay, sidelined by the injury that forced his early exit against Southend. Josh Kay has been absent more often than not through injury so far, while Jesurun Uchegbulam has struggled, in recent games, to replicate the dynamic display he kicked off the campaign with. Callum Dolan rattled Halifax's back line on occasions, and Latics did have good spells, but they were not sustained.

Mark Kitching celebrates his goalMark Kitching celebrates his goal (Image: Thomas Lee Stacey)

Instead it is some of the 'old guard' that have played key roles, Mark Kitching rewarded for his impact at left wing back from the bench against the Shrimpers with his first start of the season on Tuesday, and first goal as he followed up Fondop's initial effort to convert from close range very early in the second half.

Halifax were level just after the hour. The home side retained possession from a short corner, Mat Hudson fluffed a chance to catch a high ball into the box and Adam Senior headed past him.

It could have gone either way after that.

Indeed Latics looked more lively and had more urgency having gone down to 10 men, with James Norwood coming off the bench for the final few minutes.

Even so, Hudson was required to make a good save from Owen Bray in stoppage time to preserve the point.

"We fought and we battled away and we gave a good, solid away performance," said Mellon afterwards.

"We are not setting up to draw.

"I love the Oldham fans and I love this football club, I really do, and I really personally - we all do as a staff - feel the mission here, the cause. We feel it deeply and we're going for it all the time. We're not setting out to be not winning games, we really want to try to win games, but we're not losing.

"To come to Halifax, down to 10 men and the way that we played, particularly in the second half, it was more like the Oldham we want to see.

"We're just sorry that we couldn't get over the line but it's another good battling point."