A Chris O’Grady hat-trick and a Sam Surridge header were enough to see Oldham Athletic to claim the three points and the derby day bragging rights over local rivals Bury.
Coalan Lavery did make things interesting at the start of the second half with a quickfire double, but Latics saw out the game to make it six unbeaten in the league.
Latics started the game brightly as Rob Hunt saw his cross deflected to his own goal by Eoghan O’Connell, but Joe Murphy gathered the loose ball.
It would be a sign of things to come as Oldham took the lead through another cross into the box.
Callum Lang played it down the right channel for Surridge who crossed it into the path of O’Grady who produced a lovely left-footed volley past Murphy.
Minutes later it was two as Gevaro Nepomuceno floated a cross up the back post with Surridge waiting to head back across goal and into the net.
Daniel Iversen had to be on his toes as Jay O’Shea hit a decent freekick which would have nestled in the corner, but the Danish goalkeeper got across well to push it away.
The Shakers were starting to come back into the contest with periods of possession, but Latics created yet another chance as Nepomuceno played it to Mohamed Maouche from a freekick and the midfielder saw his shot blocked just in front of the goal line.
However, Latics grabbed their third as Nepomuceno played O’Grady clean through on goal and calmly slotted it into the net which summed up a fantastic first-half performance from Frankie Bunn’s men.
The Shakers made changes at half-time and substitute Lavery pulled a goal back instantly with his first touch after being picked out by Nicky Adams.
Bury then had a second ten minutes later as Adams again picked out Lavery to head home and give Latics quite the scare.
However, normal service was resumed as O’Grady beat goalkeeper Murphy in the air and the ball trickled over the line for his hat-trick and what turned out to be the goal to seal the three points for Frankie Bunn.
Bury tried to get themselves in with a shout of getting something from the game, but Dominic Telford’s freekick into the side netting was their only chance they really created in the final twenty minutes.
Tom Hamer did produce a superb block in the six-yard box from Telford, but in truth it was what Latics deserved over the 90 minutes.
Bunn’s men will be back at Boundary Park next Saturday when Exeter City visit.
Attendance 5018 (1262 Away)
Oldham Athletic
Iversen, Hamer, Clarke ©, Edmundson, Hunt, Lang, Maouche, Missilou, Nepomuceno (Lyden 90’), O’Grady, Surridge
Bury
Murphy, Stokes (Telford 45’), Thompson, O’Connell, Adams (Miller 71’), Mayor, Moore, McFadzean, O’Shea, Danns ©, Maynard (Lavery 45’)