Opening Day Joy for Latics

Latics kicked off the 2005/2006 campaign with an emphatic 2:0 defeat of newly promoted and ambitious Yeovil Town. Fielding eight debutants, there was much anticipation surrounding this fixture as the paying Oldham public waited expectantly as to how the new-look team would gel and ultimately perform.

As the team entered the playing arena to the fan’s tune of choice; ELP’s Fanfare For the Common Man, they were greeted by rapturous applauding and cheering which marked the end of another tedious close season.

Early jitters as to the potency of Yeovil’s attacking prowess against a relatively unfamiliar Oldham team were quickly put aside as Latics took immediate control of the game, Butcher sending an effort fizzing over the bar with just two minutes played. That very much set the tone for the rest of the first half, Oldham playing with a swagger that betrayed the embryonic status of the team. Barely a minute later and the exciting Porter directed a header which glided agonisingly wide.

Yeovil’s involvement in the game was not merely to make up the numbers however and Oldham were more than once caught on the break, the Gazelle-like Amankwaah making darting runs down the right flank, his attempts at crosses though were all too often stifled by the ever impressive Marc Tierney.

On 24 minutes the deadlock was broken, a throw-in by Rob Scott proving awkward for the Yeovil defence who relinquished the ball to Richie Wellens who in turn drifted in the cross for Chris Porter to latch onto and head home.

The breathless jubilation of the home crowd had barely begun to quell when another Oldham offensive resulted in a doubling of the score-line. The irrepressible Wellens again provider, this time dissecting the Yeovil defence before squaring the ball to Paul Warne who from eight yards hit a first time shot of such ferocity the Yeovil keeper could do nothing but stand in awe as it crashed into the back of the net.

Although a rout seemed on the cards the first half petered out with little incidence and Latics went into the break two goals to the good and without reply.

The second half was something of a formality for Oldham who allowed Yeovil to have possession for long periods without effect. It was not particularly riveting from the stands but it was useful for the team who got used to communicating with each other when the other team had possession and the success of this communication was evident in Yeovil’s inability to break Oldham down.

Both teams had half chances, on 50 minutes Warne cleared a Yeovil ball which bounced nervously near to the goal-line and on 75, Yeovil man Paul Terry, brother of Chelsea and England star John, directed a speculative 30 yard drive clear of the target. Hesitance in front of goal prevented Warne’s second and Oldham’s third as in the last minute his reluctance to shoot first-time, that had paid dividends in the first half, resulted in a melee of Yeovil defenders forcing his shot wide of the upright.

The result was incredibly important for an Oldham side that had enjoyed a forgettable pre-season and had accumulated their fair share of doubters. However, as manager Ronnie Moore intimated, it would be wrong to take too much from this game and start booking open-top buses just yet, but the signs are good. There were flashes of brilliance at times and one can’t help but think that once this team has properly gelled and a certain Mr Beckett is finally thrown into the mix, then Oldham Athletic are going to be quite a handful to say the least.