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Ernie Cooks up an easy Cup passage

Carl Marsden
12/11/2003

FA Cup first round
Oldham Athletic 3
Carlisle Utd 0

TWO-GOAL Ernie Cooksey fired Latics into the FA Cup second round and extended their unbeaten run to eight games at Boundary Park.

In truth, Iain Dowie's patched-up side were not pushed beyond second gear by a desperate-looking Carlisle whose lack of quality in the final third gave Les Pogliacomi probably the easiest clean sheet of his career.

In a fitful start, Latics probed for openings against Carlisle's defence with moderate success.

On 11 minutes, John Sheridan's 25-yard free-kick forced a full-stretch parry from Matty Glennon before Will McDonagh hoofed clear.

At the other end, Brian Wake shot straight at Pogliacomi with the visitors' only notable first-half attack.

Scott Vernon almost broke the deadlock when his flicked header from John Sheridan's free kick whistled narrowly over.

Latics then settled the tie with a two-goal burst inside three minutes.

Dean Holden was the architect of the first, threading a perfect ball through for Calvin Zola to fire left-footed past Glennon on 34 minutes.

The advantage was soon doubled when Carlos Roca, making his full debut, floated a superb ball towards the far post and Cooksey ghosted in to score.

Vernon then saw a point-blank effort blocked on the line as Latics ended the half in complete control.

Within seconds of the restart, striker Craig Farrell mustered Carlisle's best opportunity, darting at the heart of defence before his shot was deflected across goal for a corner.

Visiting keeper and skipper Glennon was replaced by understudy Peter Keen after a last-ditch challenge with Calvin Zola left him with a facial injury.

Cooksey then sealed the tie with his second goal on 78 minutes after slack defending enabled him to slide the ball home from Roca's corner.

Oldham: Pogliacomi, Clegg, D Hall, Beharall, Holden, J Sheridan (O'Halloran 80), D Sheridan (Boshell 32), Cooksey, Zola (C Hall 80), Vernon, Roca. Subs not used: Tierney, Walker.

Carlisle: Glennon (Keen 51), Shelley, Andrews, McDonagh, Jack (Henderson 46), McGill, Schumacher, Russell, Smith, Wake (Molloy 66), Farrell. Subs not used Rundle, Lynn.

Attendance: 4,391