WALSALL, England (Interstat) — Substitute Joe Garner delivered a decisive goal and an assist to propel visiting Oldham Athletic to a 2-1 comeback victory over Walsall in a League Two match on Monday at Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.

The result, sealed with a dramatic stoppage-time winner, defied pregame projections that heavily favored the home side. Statistical models had given Walsall an 80.50 percent probability of securing a win.

Oldham Athletic opened the scoring against the run of play in the 15th minute. Garner, who entered the match as a substitute, found the net early to give the visitors an unexpected lead. The goal seemed to settle Oldham, though the first half grew increasingly fractious. Oldham defender Aden Flint received a yellow card in the 38th minute, and Garner was also cautioned in first-half stoppage time.

Walsall, spurred on by the home crowd, pushed for an equalizer and found it five minutes after the restart. Forward Daniel Kanu scored in the 50th minute, assisted by midfielder Courtney Clarke, to level the match at 1-1. The momentum appeared to shift firmly in Walsall’s favor, especially when Oldham’ Kai Payne was shown a yellow card just six minutes after the equalizer.

The match seemed destined for a draw, mirroring the 1-1 scoreline projected by Interstat’s game simulator, as the clock ticked into added time. However, Oldham Athletic mounted one final attack. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Garner turned provider, setting up fellow substitute Kian Harratt for a last-gasp winning goal. The late strike sparked jubilant celebrations from the visiting team and its supporters, while silencing the home stadium.

The match concluded with a yellow card to Walsall’s Clarke in the 87th minute, a precursor to the late drama. The victory gives Oldham Athletic a winning start to their League Two campaign, moving their record to 1-0 in the competition and across all competitions this season. For Walsall, the defeat marks an 0-1 beginning to both their League Two season and their overall campaign.

Garner’s impactful performance off the bench, featuring a goal and an assist, was the key individual contribution in a match defined by its late twist. Harratt’s role as the other decisive substitute, scoring the winner, and Kanu’s equalizer for Walsall were the other pivotal attacking moments. Defenders Flint and Payne, along with midfielder Clarke, were credited with assists in a match that ultimately belonged to Oldham Athletic’s resilience and clinical finishing in critical moments.