Oldham Athletic put on an impressive display to beat Nantwich Town U18’s in the first round of the FA Youth Cup.
Latics had the first chance of the game as Zak Emmerson drove at the Nantwich defence and the ball landed at the feet Reece Gaskell and he tried his luck from range, but it went wide of goal.
The hosts’ continued to apply pressure and nearly went ahead as Latics put a cross in from the left and a defender came close to putting the ball past his own goalkeeper, but it went just wide of the post.
Danny Cadamarteri’s side took the lead in the 17th minute as Jack Williams raced down the left-wing before delivering a low cross to Speed and slotted past the goalkeeper.
Oldham then won a penalty just minutes later as Speed was brought down by a Nantwich defender. Kyle Wych stepped up, but he dragged his penalty wide of the post.
Latics doubled their lead in the 28th minute as Charley Leech puts an excellent ball into the box from the left and it was turned into his own net by a Nantwich defender.
Speed added a third goal for Latics and his second of the net just after half time as Lewis McKinney delivered a cross across the goal and Speed tapped into the net.
Shortly after, a cross comes into the box from the left, but McKinney couldn’t keep his effort down.
The home side extended their lead further in the 55th minute, as Emmerson was played through one on one with the goalkeeper and he finished past the goalkeeper.
Good work down the right by Emmerson resulted in him pulling the ball back to McKinney inside the six-yard box, but his attempt went way over the bar.
Latics should have had another as Emmerson played the ball across the box to Speed and his effort went just wide and Emmerson followed up but excellently denied by the goalkeeper.
The visitors Nantwich did manage to pull a goal back in the 86th minute as Henry Waterer had an ambitious attempt from range, Allen managed to get a hand onto it but he couldn’t stop it from going into the back of the net.
Oldham Athletic 4-1 Nantwich Town.
Oldham Athletic U18’s XI – Allen, Hackett, Grundy, Jones, Leech, Wych, Gaskell, Speed (De Silva 80’), Williams, McKinney (Pickford 71’), Emmerson (Luamba 83’).
Subs – Chapman, Baker, Hough, Pickford, Silva, Higgins, Luamba.
Nantwich Town 18’s XI – Hawkins, Crumpton, Golden (Brandreth 38’), Chevannes, Lloyd-Williams, Piperakis, Waterer, Arthur (Selby 76’), Parker, Evans, Moreton (Large 60’).
Subs – Large, Wrench, Kabyemela, Selby, Fox, Brandreth, Orsler.