Oldham Athletic safely progressed into the Emirates Fa Cup third round after goals from Peter Clarke and Chris O’Grady saw Latics home against a spirited Maidstone United side.

The game was a bit of a slow burner as neither side could create anything in the opening ten minutes, apart from a Christopher Missilou effort that only troubled the Oldham fans behind the goal.

However, Clarke scored from the first real chance of the game in the 17th minute to give Latics the lead.

Gevaro Nepomuceno whipped in a freekick to George Edmundson, who in turn pulled it back for the Latics Captain to score.

Sam Surridge was then denied from a brilliant save from Grant Smith who tipped his effort onto the bar.

It was a wet and windy afternoon in Kent as referee Tom Young gave out five yellow cards in the first half.

The home side created their first chance on the stroke of half time as Jake Cassidy got the better of Edmundson to find Elliot Romain, but his effort was straight at Daniel Iversen.

Latics started the second half quick as Mohamed Maouche curled an effort into Smith’s hands before Surridge hit the post from a corner.

Romain then forced a great save from Iversen, as the Maidstone man found space in the box before the Danish U21 goalkeeper produced a smart stop with his feet.

O’Grady then sealed Latics’ progress into the third round as he sold Will De Havilland with a fantastic turn before scoring from a tight angle to double the Oldham lead.

Maidstone did hit the bar at the end through Jack Paxman’s freekick, but it was Latics who made it six unbeaten and they will have to see who they face in the Emirates FA Cup third round when the draw takes place on Monday.

Attendance 3516 (426 Away)

Maidstone United

Smith, McLennan, Havilland, Finney (Florence 87’), Powell, Romain, Paxman ©, Durojaiye (Muldoon 75’), Phillips, Cassidy, Tajbakhsh

Oldham Athletic

Iversen, Dummigan, Clarke ©, Edmundson, Hunt, Lang, Maouche, Missilou, Nepomuceno, O’Grady, Surridge