Oldham Town...0

Stand Athletic...3

MEMORIES of last season's championship-winning form came flooding back as new-look Stand turned on the style against Oldham.

The Latics started the game off very brightly, Paul Thompson threatening the home side's net in the first minute. Goalie Mark Bedford was forced to run out to the edge of the box to clear from the marauding forward.

Dave Gardener was the next to threaten, getting on the end of a fine through ball from Neil Dawes, but just chipping over in the fourth minute.

These two movements set the pattern for the whole game as Thompson and Gardener struck up an immediate

partnership which terrorised the Oldham defence.

Dawes, Brendan O'Shaughnessy and Marc Leacock in the midfield played ball after effective ball in their direction.

As the two forwards took turns rampaging towards the goal, Oldham rode their luck, as the Stand players' shots were saved or went just wide.

The midfielders were getting in on the act too, with a Dawes free-kick almost being deflected into his own net by the desperate Gary Hartley.

Stand's dominance was such that even sweeper Neil Rhodes was getting forward and was unfortunate not to score with a drive in the 20th minute.

Paul Thompson had a glorious chance in the 21st minute. Stand played a long clearance from a rare Oldham corner. Thompson's pace ensured that he was bound to win the race. He waltzed past two defenders before pulling his shut

into the side netting.

It was O'Shaughnessy who finally broke the deadlock a minute later. An Oldham goal kick was brought down by Mike Salmon on the halfway line. Dawes saw O'Shaughnessy's well-timed run in the inside left position and threaded

an accurate pass through the melee of players.

Brendan collected and controlled the ball in a single movement, left his marker for dead and rounded the keeper, shooting home from the narrowest of angles as cool as

you like.

The ball was almost totally in the home side's half in the first period. Oldham were dazzled by one-twos between O'Shaughnessy and Leacock.

Gardener and Thompson's pace left them gasping and Dawes' general artistry from free-kicks left them reeling, but somehow the ball stayed out of the net until the 40th minute.

Another long clearance from Bedford was won by Stephen

Riley. He played the ball forward to Thompson who easily beat his marker before shooting. Once again, the ball rebounded from the 'keeper, but this time he was able to head the ball into the open net.

Amazingly, the score stayed at 2-0 until half-time, despite two more chances from Gardener and another from Dawes.

The second half started the same as the first had finished, with Thompson and Gardener running Oldham ragged.

Predictably, Stand went further ahead just three minutes into the half when Gardener met a low Thompson cross from the right and side-footed the ball between Bedford and his goalpost.

Oldham were clearly frustrated and their captain Denis Banks was booked following a succession of fouls on Gardener. He was joined in the book in the 75th minute by Kieran Flynn. A minute later, Banks was sent off for yet another foul, this time on Salmon.

The expected avalanche didn't follow. Oldham were left bewitched, bothered and bewildered by some devastating approach play, but a combination of good goalkeeping and bad linesmanship was enough to preserve some dignity.

STAND ATHLETIC: Peter Gibbons, Stephen Campbell, Neil Rhodes, Simon Hannan, Stephen Riley, Mike Salmon, Marc Leacock, Brendan O'Shaughnessy, Neil Dawes, Paul Thompson, Dave Gardener. Substitutes: Marne McKenzie, Kristian Trippier, Rob Ashton.