Michael Mellon scores hat-trick to send Oldham into FA Cup second round

A Michael Mellon hat-trick secured a 3-1 win over Northampton and fired Sky Bet League Two Oldham into the FA Cup second round.

The striker, who is the son of Latics manager Micky Mellon, scored twice in a minute early in the game, with the first the most acrobatic of them all.

Northampton struggled to clear Tom Pett’s cross from the right and Mellon scored with an overhead kick at the far post in the third minute.

He added a second just a minute later, cleverly chipping the ball over the goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons
as he was slipped through in the right channel.

Mellon almost added a third in the 18th minute after a strong run down the right, his effort was parried by Fitzsimons. Luke Hannant reacted to the rebound, but the keeper got down low to his right to deny him.

Mellon did complete his hat-trick in the 50th minute though, finishing well from Oli Hammond’s excellent pass.

Cameron McGeehan pulled a goal back for League One Northampton in the first minute of stoppage time.

But it was nothing more than a consolation for a team who last won a first-round tie in 2019.