Cherries manager Sean O'Driscoll was forced to hand a debut to 18-year-old striker Brett Pitman and name Warren Cummings and Karl Broadhurst on the bench despite the latter pair having been out of the game for almost a year.
Oldham had the best of the early exchanges and missed a number of golden opportunities in the first half hour.
Richard Butcher found himself with space just inside the six-yard box but somehow managed to skew his right-foot shot well wide with the goal at his mercy.
On 28 minutes Richie Wellens chipped a clever ball into the path of Luke Beckett but the on loan Sheffield United striker volleyed three yards wide.
Beckett had his head in his hands again just a minute later when faced with an open goal from just five yards out. He mis-kicked Paul Edwards' low cross much to the delight of the Dean Court faithful.
Bournemouth's youthful exuberance was struggling to break down a strong Oldham back line personified by the mountainous Guy Branston.
Leading scorer James Hayter tried to probe and plug his way through and on 20 minutes he found himself with space but his right-foot effort was deflected wide for a corner.
From the resulting set piece the ball broke to Pitman on the edge of the area and the Channel Island-born striker was unlucky as a full bodied volley flew just wide.
O'Driscoll sent his side out in the second half with a seemingly more determined attacking approach and on loan Crewe midfielder Ben Rix was unlucky not to chalk up his first goal as his dipping volley on 49 minutes was well saved by Lee Grant.