STEVANAGE 3, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 0
Head coach Harry Kewell completed an unwanted hat-trick of three straight defeats following Oldham Athletic’s loss at Stevenage.
It was a deeply disappointing afternoon which got off to the worst possible start, even before a ball was kicked.
Zak Dearnley pulled up in the warm-up with a groin strain which meant a late call-up to the starting line-up for Danny Rowe.
That meant three changes from the side that suffered a Carabao Cup defeat at Morecambe in midweek.
Kewell had already recalled Bobby Grant and Davis Keillor-Dunn in place of Dylan Fage and Adrian Badan.
Stevenage, who only earned a reprieve from losing their EFL status three weeks before the start of the season when Macclesfield Town were demoted, secured victory with second-half goals from Elliot Osborne, Luther James-Wildin and Luke Prosser.
The home side started brightly with Osbourne, the former Stockport County player, and Danny Newton both going close, the latter denied by a decent stop from goalkeeper Ian Lawlor.
Latics’ first chance came when Conor McAleny’s effort went wide.
Lawlor had to tip over a drive from Arthur Read shortly before the end of a goalless opening period.
Boro were fast out of the blocks in the second half as Prosser headed over from Read’s free kick before the deadlock was broken on the hour.
Elliot List raced clear down the right and crossed for Osborne to slot low past Lawlor.
Shortly afterwards, referee Charles Breakspear pointed to the spot after captain Carl Piergianni brought Scott Cuthbert. Inih Effiong, who scored a penalty last weekend on his debut, was denied by Lawlor as it remained 1-0.
The hosts doubled their lead minutes after missing the penalty when the ball was played to James-Wildin inside the box and his strike took a deflection and looped over Lawlor.
Stevenage sealed their first home win at the Broadhall Way since October 2019 when Prosser headed home a corner.
And to cap a miserable afternoon, it was the first time since December 2017 that Latics have failed to score in three consecutive matches.
Oldham Athletic: Lawlor, Hamer, Jombati, Piergianni, Borthwick-Jackson (Badan 64), Garrity, Whelan, Grant, Keillor-Dunn, McAleny, Rowe. Subs (not used): Woods, Barnett, Fage, Blackwood, Da Silva.
Goals: Osborne 60, James-Wildin 64, Prosser 82.