Latics 2-6 Bolton Wanderers

Latics’ Vertu Trophy campaign came to an end with defeat against Bolton Wanderers at Boundary Park.

The visitors, whose progress to the knockout stages was already secured, ran out comfortable winners in the final fixture for both sides in Group E.

Already knowing they would not advance beyond the group, it was always going to be a night for Latics to give game time to players who have not featured regularly in recent weeks.

Two notable starters featured in an XI which contained just one survivor from the weekend win against Harrogate.

After completing a long road back from injury, Jack Stevens made his first competitive start in a Latics shirt, as did Dynel Simeu, who joined last week on a short-term deal until January.

Simeu’s debut, however, would be cut short, injury restricting him to just 13 minutes whilst Stevens left the field after an hour.

Having controlled most of the first half, the visitors broke the deadlock a minute before the break, Jordi Osai-Tutu displaying good footwork before sending a shot past Tom Donaghy.

The team from Sky Bet League One had a big chance to have opened the scoring minutes earlier, Aaron Morley sending a penalty wide after Reagan Ogle fouled Tutu.

The first half had very much belonged to the visitors, Charlie Olson stopping an angled effort from Tutu on the line, before Marcus Forss sent a fizzing ball across the face of goal, with Sam Dalby, sliding in at the far post, unable to connect.

Having eventually taken the lead with half-time looming, Bolton wasted little time in reinforcing their advantage after the re-start.

John McAtee sent a curling effort past Donaghy after receiving the ball from Richard Taylor before his initial effort was blocked.

Forss extended the lead further by finding the top corner from just outside the Latics area, before the Finn added his second with a looping header which went in off a post.

Substitute Kane Drummond pulled a goal back for the hosts, but Bolton quickly added two more through Tobias Ritchie and Dalby.

Kieran Morris had the last word with a late goal for Latics but it was the visitors who ran out comfortable winners.

 

Oldham Athletic: Donaghy, Ogle, Leake, Woods, Stevens (Drummond 60), Sutton, Quigley, Morris, Hawkes, Harratt (Fondop 75), Simeu.

Subs not used: Hudson, Butterfield-Mokone, Steele, Amos.

Bolton Wanderers: Broome, Dacres-Cogley, Taylor, Dalby, Osel-Tutu (Cissoko 73), Forrester, Morley (Irwin 73), Dempsey, Forss (Warren 73), Hogabn, McAtee (Ritchie 67.

Subs not used: Miller, Cissoko, Sharples-Ahmed, Lawrence.

Referee: Greg Rollason

Attendance: 2,392 (1,475 away)