Cheltenham Town earned another highly encouraging point from a difficult away game at Boundary Park against high flying Oldham Athletic.
The Robins continued the trend of recent games by taking the game to the oppposition for long spells and came closest to a goal when substitute Damian Spencer hit the crossbar with a second half header.
Cheltenham manager Graham Allner made one change to his starting line-up with Grant McCann replacing Hugh McAuley on the left-hand side of midfield.
It was a cold, crisp afternoon at Boundary Park with a few rays of winter sunshine raking across the pitch in front of the blocks of blue plastic seats in the stands.
Cheltenham were supported by a 283 travelling supporters tucked away in the corner the Rochdale Road stand behind one goal.
They witnessed a low key opening to the game with both sides content to keep their shape and build patiently from the back.
The pattern changed after five minutes when Cheltenham won a corner on the right. Grant McCann swung it into the area but Oldham cleared and broke downfield very quickly. Canadian international Carlo Corazzin found Paul Murray with a through ball but McCann had sprinted back and was able to intercept.
Three minutes later it was John Brough who blocked a shot from Murray after Darren Sheridan had initiated a similar move, but Cheltenham had the first chance of note after 13 minutes. McCann played Paul Brayson in with a clever pass and Oldham's giant goalkeeper Les Pogliacomi rushed off his line to block a shot with his legs. The rebound spun high into the air but the defence was able to force the ball clear from a scrum of players inside the six yard box.
Sheridan became the first player booked when he fouled Brayson in the 24th minute during a good attacking spell from the Robins. Sensing a lack of pace in the Oldham back line, the darting runs of Brayson and Devaney and clever passing of McCann and Richard Forsyth began to cause the Latics a few problems. The one player who was finding life a bit harder was Julian Alsop, who was faced by three central defenders very nearly as tall as him and keen to take on the big man in a battle for aerial supremacy.
Oldham did not create a great deal in the opening half hour but they almost fashioned a chance when a speculative long ball from Clint Hill landed over the Cheltenham defence. Corazzin chased it but was crowded out by Brough and Neil Howarth, allowing goalkeeper Steve Book to slide out and gather the ball.
Jamie Victory hooked a shot just over the crossbar from another McCann corner but Oldham's first shot of note arrived in the 34th minute when a long-range free-kick from David Eyres drifted wide.
They followed it up with another long shot, this time by John Eyre, which was on target but comfortably held by Book.
John Finnigan joined Sheridan in referee Mike Ryan's book for hauling down Wayne Andrews in first half injury time, and Howarth followed him shortly afterwards for another foul on the pacey former Watford striker.
The Oldham supporters had been fairly quiet during the first half but they pumped up the noise at the start of the second half.
Nevertheless it was Cheltenham who had the first chance of the second period when Victory crossed from the left and Devaney headed wide of the target.
Oldham won a corner soon afterwards but the in-swinger from Eyres brushed off the head of Frenchman Julian Baudet and landed safely on the far side of Steve Book's goal.
Brayson saw a shot held by Pogliacomi with Cheltenham's first chance of the half but Victory was booked 11 minutes after the break, presumably for dissent as the referee moved the ball forward 10 yards.
A huge roar from the home crowd greeted the introduction of former Ajax Amsterdam and Leeds United player Clyde Wijnhard on hour mark. The talented striker was making his first appearance in a Latics shirt following an injury.
Graham Allner made a change of his own two minutes later when Damian Spencer replaced Brayson to partner Alsop in a formidable battering ram up front.
The changes appeared to provide a spark for the home side who went close to a goal when Andrews pulled the ball back from wide on the left and Chris Amstrong thumped a shot across goal with Book flying acrobatically to his right.
But Cheltenham went even closer to opening the scoring in the 68th minute. Devaney got free on the right once again and crossed for Spencer who, with his first touch after going on, powered a header against the underside of the crossbar. The ball bounced down right on the goal line and out again.
Cheltenham were enjoying another good spell but they had to be wary of the threat posed by Wijnhard, who produced one corkscrew turn on the edge of the box before shooting inches wide of Book's right-hand post.
The action was frantic and end-to-end in the final minutes with both sides having chances to wrap up the points.
Devaney went on one burrowing run deep into the Oldham defence which gave a chance for Grant McCann to cross. His driven centre evaded everyone in the area and fell to Alsop by the post, but he was off balance and Pogliacomi was able to fall upon the ball.
At the other end Armstrong headed over the bar and Wijnhard, stretching, was close to making contact with an Eyres cross with only Book in front of him.
Cheltenham were undoubtedly trying to win the game rather than settling for a draw but they found it harder to get quality possession to the forwards as the game drew to a close.
Devaney showed his frustration and was booked for kicking the ball away, an act of petulance that earned him a fifth yellow card of the season and will keep him out of the FA Cup second round with a one match suspension.
Deep into injury time Armstrong had the ball in the Cheltenham net but the goal was ruled out for offside, while at the other end Devaney had a blast at goal saved by Pogliacomi.
OLDHAM ATHLETIC: Pogliacomi; Baudet, Hill, Beharall; Eyre (Duxbury 57), Murray (Laurenco 79), Sheridan, Armstrong, Eyres; Andrews, Corazzin (Wijnhard 60). Subs: Miskelly, Killen
CHELTENHAM TOWN: Book; Howarth, Brough, M.Duff, Victory; Devaney, Forsyth, Finnigan, McCann; Alsop, Brayson (Spencer 62). Subs: Griffin, Yates, Higgs, McAuley
REFEREE: M. Ryan
ATTENDANCE: 6,575