Oldham eased to their first victory of the year beating Mansfield Town by three goals to one at a wet Boundary Park.
Latics made the perfect start to the game and goals from Jonny Smith and Tom Hamer saw they were in cruise control going into the break. A professional second half paired with a mercurial effort from Gevaro Nepomuceno ensure it was a good day at the office for Dino Maamria’s men. Town did pull one back with just seconds left on the clock with Ottis khan supplying the finish.
Latics started the game on the front foot and showed true attacking intent from the off. Oldham showed some early signs of promise but their first chance of note came in the 13th minute when Jonny Smith managed to get down the line and fired in a dangerous cross which the Stags’ keeper could only punch away.
They didn’t have to wait long for the next opportunity to come along and it was Smith again who forced the issue. His cross was aimed for talisman Danny Rowe who couldn’t get his head to it. The ball fell fortuitously to Gevaro Nepomuceno who’s shot was a straight forward save for Bobby Olejnik.
A rare attack from Manfield was answered by a swift Latics counter-attack started by Zeus De La Paz throwing the ball long to Jonny Smith, who yet again caused havoc and unleashed a cross into the box that was cleared for a Latics throw. The resulting throw led to a chance for skipper David Wheater, who’s low finish was an easy save for Stags’ stopper.
Smith got the reward for his performance in the 23rd minute, Nepomuceno’s ball in narrowly evaded the head of Danny Rowe and the ball fell to Smith who toyed with the Mansfield defence before slotting in a perfect finish into the far bottom corner.
Oldham’s dominance continued after taking the lead and new signing Danny Rowe fired wide from distance after Christopher Missilou continued his impressive display by charging through the midfield and picking out the striker.
Despite Oldham’s complete domination, the visitors had a chance the level the scoring as CJ Hamilton’s cross was only partially cleared causing a scrap in the box that eventually ended up in a Latics free-kick.
Wheater had a great chance to double the lead but he headed Jonny Smith’s corner over the bar in the 38th minute. Dearnley also had a half-chance not long after, he battled his way into the visitor’s 18-yard box and managed to get a shot off that was saved by Olejnik.
Just moments later and Oldham did have the second goal that their sparkling play deserved. Tom Hamer ghosted in unmarked and managed to flick the ball off the post and into the Mansfield goal.
Mansfield could not have complained if Latics would have scored a third before the interval and it was nearly a reality; Danny Rowe fired agonisingly wide of the mark in the 44th minute.
Latics started the second half as they finished the first, Nepomuceno broke through but ignored the shouts from forwards Dearnley and Rowe to go alone and fire a shot straight at the grateful looking Olejnik. He redeemed himself less than 10 minutes later with a peach of a goal. He struck an unsavable effort from approximately 20 yards out that flew into the bottom corner.
Latics had a few chances from free-kicks the first saw the Mansfield wall deny Rowe from opening his account at Boundary Park and the second was whipped in by Jonny Smith, Mansfield failed to clear effectively but Missilou could only divert his effort over the top.
Oldham never looked in any danger and it was a debut to remember for Cameron Borthwick-Jackson as part of a well organised Oldham back four.
Not even a 93rd-minute goal from Ottis Khan or the wet conditions could dampen the mood at Boundary Park as fans were treated to a quality display at both ends of the park from Maamria’s men.
Oldham Athletic 3-1 Mansfield Town.
Attendance: 2961 (395 away).
Line-ups:
Oldham Athletic: De La Paz, Nepomuceno (Branger-Engone, 88), Missilou, Sylla, Smith, Wheater ©, Pierginanni, Hamer, Dearnley (Maouche, 64), Rowe, Borthwick-Jackson.
Substitutes: Allen, Mills, Branger-Engone, Maouche, Wilson, Segbe Azankpo, N’Guessan.
Mansfield Town: Olejnik, Benning, Pearce ©, McDonald, Maynard (Cook, 51), Watts, Sweeney, Riley, Hamilton, Charsley (Tomlinson, 51), Rose (Khan, 71).
Substitutes: Stone, Preston, Bishop, Khan, Tomlinson, Cook, Knowles.
Referee: Michael Salisbury