Oldham Athletic continued their promotion push with a narrow victory at North-West rivals Stockport.

The Latics left it late to snatch the points with David Eyres scoring a thunderbolt free-kick with just two minutes remaining to shock the Hatters, who had battled hard and deserved at least a point.

The visitors took an early lead when Paul Murray fired home in the ninth minute.

Murray was on hand to pounce and fire home past a crowd of bodies after a header was cleared off the line by the Stockport defence.

A 46th-minute goal from Jon Daly put County back on level terms and it looked like staying honours even until Eyres' winner.

Luke Beckett and Ali Gibb saw efforts rebound agonisingly off the crossbar in a frustrating afternoon for County player-manager Carlton Palmer.

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Stockport: Tidman, Lescott, Challinor, Clare, Clark, Gibb, Lambert, McLachlan, Pemberton, Beckett, Daly. Subs: Jones, Ellison, Wilbraham, Wild, Thomas.

Oldham: Miskelly, Armstrong, Haining, Beharall, Eyres, Boshell, Carss, Murray, Andrews, Killen, Darren Sheridan. Subs: Murphy, Duxbury, Appleby, Corazzin, Eyre.

Referee: P Prosser (Gloucestershire).