Oldham Athletic 2
Guy (48), Smalley (88)

Bristol Rovers 1
Kuffour (77)

Rovers slipped to defeat at Boundary Park this afternoon, as their hosts scored the winning goal just two minutes from time.

They had taken the lead early in the second half, through Lewis Guy, but were pegged back by Jo Kuffour's equaliser on 77 minutes, but Deane Smalley headed the winner that gave the home side all three points.

Byron Anthony and Jeff Hughes, who both missed Monday's 1-0 over MK Dons through suspension, returned to the starting lineup at Oldham this afternoon.

Anthony came in at right back in place of Carl Regan, while Hughes replaced Ben Swallow on the left of midfield.

The game began in bright sunshine and there seemed to be an end of season feel to the much of the opening 45 minutes.

Rovers put in a solid enough display in that opening period but chances, for both sides, were few and far between.

After Jo Kuffour's early shot had been deflected behind for a corner, Paul Trollope's side forced two more corners in quick succession, but the home defence stood firm and they came to nothing.

Oldham's first opportunity came from a Dale Stephens free kick and although the midfielder got a great deal of power behind his effort, it was directed straight at Mikkel Andersen and the keeper made a comfortable save.

Chris Lines hit a long range effort over the bar, while an ambitious effort from Joe Colbeck at the other end finished up in amongst the Rovers fans behind the goal.

There was a great chance for Rovers to take the lead with 19 minutes on the clock when Stuart Campbell's quick free kick found Kuffour in space inside the area. The striker had time to direct a header towards goal, but could only glance the ball well wide of the target.

Kuffour then fired a shot over the bar before the home side fashioned their best chance of the half, but Andersen dived low to his left to touch Pawel Abbot's diving header round the post.

Lines went close for Rovers with one of his long range free kicks, but Darryl Flavahan managed to touch his low shot round the post. The midfielder hit another free kick over the bar in the final minute of the half.

Oldham were out of the blocks quickly at the start of the second half and took the lead three minutes after the restart.

Joe Colbeck's diagonal ball into the box found the unmarked Lewis Guy and he took his chance with some aplomb, guiding the ball beyond Andersen and into the net.

Another long ball into the box shortly afterwards found Abbott in space, but the striker badly mishit his shot, allowing Andersen a comfortable save.

The striker then saw an ambitious overhead effort drift wide and his header from a Dale Stephens free kick met the same fate.

As the home side pushed forward in search of another goal, Colbeck clipped the outside of the post with a shot from the edge of the area.

At the other end a Lines header from Campbell's corner was diverted round the post by Paul Black, and the equaliser that was desperately needed arrived following a neat interchange of passes between Andy Williams and Hughes. The ball eventually reached Kuffour and he calmly stroked the ball past Darryl Flavahan.

Oldham substitute Tom Eaves could have wrapped things up for his side, but headed wide when well placed, but the winning goal came just two minutes from the end when Deane Smalley rose at the back post to head home from Danny Whitaker's cross.

Kuffour almost snatched a second equaliser, when he turned Reuben Hazell and Sean Gregan inside out before seeing Flavahan save his close range shot.

It wasn't to be, though, and Rovers return home to Bristol empty handed.

Team: Mikkel Andersen, Byron Anthony, Danny Coles, Steve Elliott, Daniel Jones, Dominic Blizzard (Ben Swallow, 65), Chris Lines, Stuart Campbell, Jeff Hughes, Darryl Duffy (Andy Williams, 53), Jo Kuffour

Substitutes: Carl Regan, Mark Wright, Charlie Reece, Eliot Richards, Rhys Evans

Yellow cards - Lines, Elliott, Coles

Oldham: Darryl Flahavan, Alex Marrow, Reuben Hazell, Sean Gregan, Paul Black (Tom Eaves, 76), Joe Colbeck, Dale Stephens, Danny Whitaker, Chris Taylor (Deanne Smalley, 46) Pawel Abbott (Dean Furman, 88) Lewis Guy

Substitutes: Dean Brill, Hasney Aljofree, Jon Worthington, Kelvin Lomax

Referee: Mark Halsey

Attendance: 3,769

Rovers fans: 291