OLDHAM ATHLETIC 4, NEWCASTLE UNITED U21 1
Oldham Athletic secured their passage to the knockout phase of the Checkatrade Trophy following a comfortable home victory against Newcastle United U21s.
Two goals apiece from Jack Byrne and Eoin Doyle helped Latics finish runners-up to Port Vale in their group as they ended back-to-back defeats against Scunthorpe United and Carlisle United.
And it means Latics have lost only twice in 10 league and cup games since Richie Wellens became manager.
Wellens made seven changes to the side that lost in the FA Cup at Carlisle, but were lifted by the return of Byrne following a one-match ban. And the human dynamo was at the heart of everything Latics created in the first half.
Latics dominated from the start and could have taken the lead after four minutes when centre-back Anthony Gerrard, recalled to the starting line up, headed against the crossbar from Byrne’s inswinging free kick.
They took the lead after 13 minutes through Byrne. It started from a long ball from goalkeeper Johny Placide who found Eoin Doyle who held the ball up well and brought others into play before Byrne, receiving it in the penalty area, took one touch to get it out of his feet, moved the ball onto his right foot and fired into the bottom corner.
Midway through the half, Latics should have been two goals ahead when Nathan Harker pulled off a great save to deny Doyle.
Gevaro Nepomuceno’s cross found Brian Wilson at the back post, he laid it back to Doyle to strike from six yards but Harker managed to stick an arm out and save.
Byrne continued to be at the heart of everything Latics did as he got on the ball and set up a number of attacks.
He curled a shot over the crossbar on the half hour and fired wide minutes later when he went in search of his, and Latics’, second.
Late in the half, Newcastle’s Victor Fernandez went closest for the visitors as he forced a save from Placide from 25 yards.
The goalkeeper had been relatively quiet in the first half, however, he did produce a sublime piece of skill as he executed a Cruyff turn in his own penalty area and left Lewis McNall on his backside in the process.
Latics continued to dominate in the second half and created a number of early chances and went close again after 51 minutes.
A delightful ball over the top from Abdelhakim Omrani found Doyle who volleyed across the box for Aaron Amadi-Holloway slid the ball wide of the goal.
Latics doubled their advantage on the hour through predator Doyle who reacted first to a Kean Bryan strike from 25 yards and he gambled on the goalkeeper faltering. He parried into his path and he made no mistake from 12 yards.
Two soon became three as Byrne netted his second of the game. It was great work between the front two, Amadi-Holloway and Doyle, as they played the ball to Byrne who twisted and turned in the box and wrong footed the goalkeeper from six yards.
Latics were in cruise control and almost made it four 60 seconds later but Doyle fired wide from inside the penalty area.
Athletic did have to be wary of the counter attack as Rolando Aarons found himself one-on-one with Placide but the goalkeeper stood up for long enough to save.
With 20 minutes of the game remaining, Latics did make it four and Doyle grabbed his second of the game.
An inch-perfect through ball found the onrushing Doyle who received the ball and cooly dinked over the goalkeeper to put the game beyond doubt.
The visitors pulled a goal back after 78 minutes as Aarons headed in at the near post past Placide.
A huge cheer came as Courtney Duffus entered the field of play following a long illness which has kept him out for three months.
The result saw Wellens’ men advance through to the second round of the competition.
Oldham Athletic (3-5-2): Placide; B Wilson, Gerrard, Bryan; Nepomuceno, Flynn (Maouche 71), Gardner (Obadeyi 65), Omrani, Byrne; Holloway, Doyle (Duffus 71). Subs (not used): Wilson, Hamer, Menig, Davies.
Goals: Byrne (13, 63), Doyle (61, 69) for Oldham. Aarons 78 for Newcastle.
Attendance: 1,107 (50 visitors)