OLDHAM ATHLETIC 2, NOTTS COUNTY 0
Defenders Tom Hamer and Peter Clarke were Oldham Athletic’s unlikely goal heroes as caretaker manager Pete Wild made it two wins out of two after the home victory against bottom-club Notts County.
It was another satisfactory performance from Latics and the only criticism was they did not win by a wider margin against desperately poor opponents.
And the Magpies ended up with 10 men following the dismissal of Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, brother of Liverpool’s Alex.
Oldham had one enforced change following the 4-1 win at Port Vale as left-back Rob Hunt was ruled out through injury.
Gevaro Nepomuceno dropped back from wide left with Johan Branger-Engone recalled on the wing.
Top scorer Sam Surridge had recovered from injury but had to settle for a place on the bench as Wild again went with Callum Lang and Chris O’Grady as his front pairing.
It was a tentative start to the game as the visitors created the first opportunity of the game when the ball broke to Cedric Evina, but the former Latics’ player fired over the bar.
Pierce Bird saw a header cleared off the line by Nepomuceno as Latics made a nervous start.
Latics’ first chance came when Lang tested keeper Ross Fitzsimons with an effort from a tight angle, but the visitors were defending stoutly.
Latics had the best chance of the half when Jordan Lyden crossed from the left but Mohamed Maouche could only guide the ball wide of the post.
Latics felt they should have had a penalty after Hamer’s long throw seemed to be handled by Richard Duffy.
However, Latics took the lead after 40 minutes following a patient build up that saw George Edmundson picked out Hamer out on the right-hand side.
The young full-back whipped in a cross come shot which flew past Fitzsimons into the top corner to give the home side the lead.
Whether Hamer meant it or not was up for debate, but Latics went in at half time with a deserved lead.
Latics doubled the lead two minutes into the second half as Branger-Engone delivered a free kick for captain Clarke to bundle home.
Hamer then crossed for Maouche, but he could only direct the header straight at Fitzsimons, before Maouche himself carved open an opportunity for himself, but once again he could only hit the shot straight at the Notts County keeper.
Clarke diverted a Jon Stead cross onto his own post before Oxlade-Chamberlain saw red for two challenges in five minutes.
Branger-Engone hit a dipping effort which Fitzsimons had to turn behind before being replaced by scholar Harry Robinson for his senior debut.
The win lifted Latics to 10th place and only five points adrift of the play-off places in Sky Bet League Two.
Oldham Athletic (4-4-2): Iversen, Hamer, Clarke, Edmundson, Nepomuceno; Missilou, Lyden, Branger-Engone (Robinson 89), Maouche; O’Grady (Surridge 67), Lang. Subs (not used): Taylor, de la Paz, Graham, Norman, Swaby-Neavin.
Attendance 4,336 (382 visitors).