OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1, PRESTON NORTH END 3
Oldham Athletic handed debuts to three players signed in the previous 24 hours as they lost 3-1 at home to Championship club Preston North End in their second pre-season friendly.
Fulham loanee Cameron Burgess played at centre back, former Bury captain Peter Clarke alongside him and Ollie Banks in midfield.
It was another player who caught the eye, however, as Dutch trialist Liandro Martis scored a spectacular goal.
Manager Stephen Robinson again went with a 3-5-2 system, and again took positives from playing against higher-level opposition.
It was a lively start in which Simon Makienok’s early header almost gave the lead to Preston who then had Callum Woods taken off the pitch on a stretcher after a hefty challenge from Jamie Reckford.
Preston took the lead after 20 minutes when Makienok was the provider with the assist for Eoin Doyle to fire the Lilywhites ahead.
Latics’ keeper Connor Ripley pulled off a fine save to deny Callum Robinson and prevent Preston doubling their advantage.
Despite creating a number of openings, Latics never seriously looked like scoring in the opening period.
The introduction of Martis, the former Feyenoord and Willem II winger, at the break gave Latics more of an attacking threat.
He immediately set up Billy McKay who curled a shot just past the upright while Marc Klok and Ryan Flynn both also went close.
But Ripley was again impressing, thwarting Robinson for a second time.
Latics later switched to 4-2-3-1, but not long after fell 2-0 behind with 20 minutes left when Joe Garner headed past Ripley.
They halved the deficit within one minute when Martis powered home a 25-yard drive into the top corner of the net.
The flurry of activity continued when Burgess pulled back Jermaine Beckford and Garner scored his second in four minutes to make it 3-1.