This was his side's first draw this season and the first goalless affair since he took over a year ago.
A point each was about fair and Oldham left happy enough as it keeps their revival very much on a roll.
When it comes to spotting an opening their playmaker Richie Wellens has the eye of a fox.
The pick of his passes came in the first half when he executed a 15-yarder straight through to Chris Porter.
With five goals in his last four games, Porter is very much on top of his game but the chance slipped away as he tangled with goalkeeper Adriano Basso.
He had to wait until the last minute for another clear opening and this time was denied by a brilliant save from Basso.
Both teams cancelled each other out and were fluid in midfield without the penetration to get in behind defences.
Porter was held by City's forceful centre-back Jamie McAllister, while the Oldham defensive pair of Will Haining and Stefan Stam found their jobs that much easier in the absence of the injured Steve Brooker.
Enoch Showunmi had been hurried back from a viral infection after being out for three games to deputise for Brooker but was obviously short of match fitness.
He still combined well with Phil Jevons to set up his side's one clear chance of the first half which Scott Brown whacked high over the bar.
Brown almost made up for that miss later on with a clever curling shot from a distance which missed the angle by a fraction.
Oldham's best attempt of the game fell to Gary McDonald. Forcing his way past two defenders, he fired a strong shot from just inside the box which Basso did well to deflect.
Finding a way through was not the only problem for both team. Referee Jamail Singh was wearing all black, a strip virtually identical to Oldham's and their young defender Neal Eardley was so taken in by it that once he even passed the ball to him.
Singh got the message and came out for the second half in a green top, but a goal was still far away.