A TRY by Oldham centre Mick Fogerty in the third minute of stoppage time brought heartbreak for the Panthers after a valiant second-half fightback in a clash which lived up to its top-of-the-table billing.
Had Blackpool clung on for the three points, they may have lost them anyway on Wednesday, when a points deduction is among the possible penalties when the club attends a Rugby Football League tribunal into alleged breach of the salary cap.
But that was the last thing on the players' minds as Martin Crompton's side came within seconds of preserving the only 100 per cent home record in Co-operative Championship One.
Having warned of the threat of Oldham half-backs Neil Roden and Gregg McNally, Crompton should also have paid special attention to Oldham's hat-trick hero, full-back Paul O'Connor.
Oldham were good value for their 14-6 half-time lead, two of their three tries scored by the outstanding O'Connor.
His pace and sharp eye for a break was a reminder of what Panthers are missing as their own No.1 Jonny Leather prowls the sidelines on crutches nursing his season-ending knee injury. Panthers were thankful that Oldham scrum-half McNally could only land one first-half conversion.
The home side were first to threaten, tireless hooker John Clough making a half-break from his own kick through the crowd, but stand-off Carl Forber couldn't reel in his pass.
But Oldham were already attacking with greater purpose and were rewarded on eight minutes, when stand-off Roden's chip was plucked from the air and touched down by centre Marcus St Hilaire.
The visitors, boosted by a sizeable travelling support who outshouted their Blackpool counterparts, continued to press and hooker Martin Roden was held up over the line, Panthers prop Kris Ratcliffe suffering a suspected broken wrist on last-ditch defensive duties.
It was aganst the run of play that Blackpool drew level on 15 minutes, full-back Martin Ainscough breaking clear to launch the attack when he gobbled up an Oldham grubber deep in his own half.
Forber continued the move before centre Casey Mayberry took Danny Halliwell's short pass to sidestep over, leaving scrum-half Tom Hemingway a simple conversion.
But Blackpool were soon back on the defensive, winger Lucas Omyango having a try disallowed for a forward pass by his centre St Hilaire following a 40-20 kick.
Blackpool were able to pair prop forwards Dave Best and Andy Hobson for the first time in a league game, both starting on the bench.
Hobson, back after a five-match suspension, was soon grateful for a lenient referee as he caught a runaway O'Connor dangerously high.
The full-back exacted revenge from the resulting penalty on 24 minutes, showing strength as well as speed to force his way over wide on the left. McNally's conversion struck a post.
Ever-dangerous O'Connor showed his full repertoire of skills as Oldham continued to force the issue, weighting a kick perfectly and forcing Tom Woodcock to volley clear for a drop-out.
This was rewarded with Oldham's third try on 29 minutes, O'Connor stretching over on the blindside for his second, though again too wide out for McNally to add the extras.
If the home side knew they were fortunate to remain in the contest at the start of the second half they at least showed determination to make the most of it, pressing the Oldham line on the back of two penalties.
They then forced a knock-on from which play was swung right for Mayberry to charge in for his second on 44 minutes. Hemingway's conversion from wide out cut the deficit to two.
But Oldham moved two scores clear six minutes later, when Woodcock's mistake from Neil Roden's bomb to the corner resulted in a scrum from which O'Connor steamed on to loose forward Valu Bentley's short pass for his hat-trick try, goaled by McNally.
Another try after a break straight from the restart could have broken Blackpool's spirit, but a despairing tackle by Mark McCully halted Dave Ellison in his tracks.
Panthers needed the next try and looked like getting it when Mayberry sent Woodcock sprinting down the line but force of numbers bundled the winger into touch.
But another Mayberry break down the right was clinically finished on 58 minutes, Hemingway chipping to the far corner for Damien Munro to take the ball on the full and plunge over. Hemingway's conversion lacked the pinpoint acuracy of his previous kick but at 20-16 it was anyone's game.
Hemingway's next kick on 66 minutes almost cost his side dear. The scrum-half's grubber inside the Oldham 20 was collected by St Hilaire, who raced the length of the field only to be stopped by Carl Forber's cover tackle after an admirable chase-back by the stand-off. It looked a potential match-winning play as seven minutes later Panthers hit the front for the first time.
Forber was involved again, supporting a fine break by Adam Thomas and releasing Mayberry, who won a penalty for a high shot. Ainscough's mazy run then took Blackpool to the line, where second rower Halliwell stretched out to score. Hemingway kept his composure to make a tricky conversion look easy and Panthers were two points up.
O'Connor, who had a quiet second half, broke clear to launch an all-out assault on the Panthers line in the final two minutes.
Dean's Thompson's knock on didn't help the Panthers cause but they looked to have held on until Neil Roden swung the ball out right and Fogerty plunged over.
McNally's third miss from five attempts was irrelevant as Blackpool had to settle for a losing bonus point.
