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Oldham Athletic 4 Hereford United 0

Gavin Browne
15/10/2008

FIRST-HALF goals from Lee Hughes, Andy Liddell and Danny Jones set Latics up for a comfortable victory over Hereford at Boundary Park on Sunday.

Having called on his side to atone for derby defeat at Stockport County nine days earlier, John Sheridan saw his players respond with an excellent display that saw them two goals up in the first quarter-hour.

Barring a few nervy moments at the back, that deficit was always too much for a visiting side struggling to make the adjustment to life in League One after promotion last season.

The opening goal inside the first four minutes when the impressive Jones cut in from the left-hand side and saw Darren Randolph spill his 20-yard shot.

Right on cue, Hughes was onto the rebound and tucked it away for his sixth goal of the campaign, handing Latics the initiative.

That advantage was quickly doubled when Hughes and Bruno N'Gotty collided when chasing Mark Crossley's clearance. Referee Rob Shoebridge decided there was sufficient contact to warrant a penalty, Liddell duly sending Randolph the wrong way from the spot for his third goal in consecutive games.

However, the two-goal lead was slightly misleading in as much as Athletic's defending was occasionally less than inspiring.Jones blocked Toumani Diagouraga's effort, Crossley saved smartly from Bradley Hudson-Odoi and the keeper's clearance hit Stephen O'Leary and rebounded over the bar.

Normal service was resumed at the other end when Jones made it 3-0 with the best goal of the game, nine minutes before the break. Danny Whitaker found Chris Taylor who played the ball inside full-back  Richard Jackson, allowing Jones to sprint forward before arrowing a shot into the far corner.

As the first half wore on though, it became increasingly obvious that Crossley had problems with his mobility and he was almost caught out a minute before half-time. Having won a free kick 20 yards out, Hereford saw Kris Taylor's  curling effort hit the top of the bar and bounce over with Crossley rooted to the spot.

Inevitably perhaps, the second half was a more subdued affair with Latics safe in the knowledge they could not be caught and Hereford not having the wit or wisdom to test substitute keeper Greg Fleming.

Jones' last-ditch clearance denied Simon Jackson, while at the other end, Chris Taylor, Craig Davies and Kelvin Lomax all fired off target.

O'Leary saw his afternoon ended with eight minutes left, receiving a straight red for a challenge on Mark Allott having been booked moments earlier.

It was Whitaker who ended proceedings in the 90th minute, firing past Randolph with the aid of his left-hand post to set the seal on a successful afternoon’s work.