Oldham Athletic 1 Carlisle United 1: Carlisle United were denied a fourth straight win by a late Oldham leveller at Boundary Park.

Aaron Hayden's header early in the second half seemed to have put the dominant Blues on the way to victory.

But Carlisle couldn't seal the points and the Latics hit back through Zak Dearnley 10 minutes from time.

United's bid for another win was thwarted by their failure to capitalise on strong earlier periods of pressure, with Gime Toure twice hitting the woodwork and other chances going begging.

It was often a positive showing by Chris Beech's side but they had to settle for a point against an Oldham side without boss Harry Kewell, who is self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.

No2 Alan Maybury led the hosts on the touchline, with unchanged United the better side in the first 45 minutes.

Carlisle piled on the early pressure with Joshua Kayode's header forcing an early save from Ian Lawlor.

Toure then clipped the bar having been set up by Jon Mellish on the edge of the box, with Mellish then losing his footing when played into a good position by Kayode.

Toure then had an effort cleared off the line when he attacked a Guy corner and all this happened in a bright opening 10 minutes from the Cumbrians.

Oldham had little in the way of serious chances in response, Alfie McCalmont barely testing Farman with a tame shot, and for United, Lewis Alessandra hooking a shot wide and Lawlor pushing away a Guy free-kick.

Toure then had the half's best chance, capitalising on Kyle Jameson's slip to break clean through onto Mellish's ball, but the French attacker slotted against the post.

Dearnley then turned and shot just wide for Oldham before the break.

Carlisle started the second half on the front foot with Toure testing Lawlor and then earning the corner which broke the deadlock.

Guy's inswinger from the left was met by Hayden, with Lawlor late in coming off his line, and the vice-captain powered home a header.

Carlisle could not, though, capitalise on their lead and Oldham fought back, Tom Hamer volleying over the bar and Jordan Barnett testing them with a series of left-sided crosses.

Beech brought on Gavin Reilly and Dean Furman but United were pegged back when home sub Danny Rowe fed Dearnley, who intelligently spun away from attention before shooting past Farman.

Carlisle went back in search of a winner, George Tanner's low cross somehow evading attention at close range, but Oldham remained in it to the end, Dylan Bahamboula going close at the death.

The 1-1 draw saw the Cumbrians remain fifth in League Two, three points off the top, ahead of Saturday's trip to Grimsby.

Oldham: Lawlor, Ntambwe (Bahamboula 46), Piergianni, Jameson (Clarke 85), Hamer, Garrity, Barnett, McCalmont, Grant (Rowe 62), McAleny, Dearnley. Not used: Bilboe, Jombati, Whelan, Keillor-Dunn.

Goal: Dearnley 80

Booked: Barnett.

Carlisle: Farman, Tanner, Anderton, McDonald, Hayden, Guy (Furman 74), Mellish, Riley (Malley 85), Toure (Reilly 71), Alessandra, Kayode. Not used: Norman, Hunt, Charters, Armer.

Goal: Hayden 54

Ref: Matthew Donohue.