Latics profit from 'shambolic defending'

Below is a report from the Times on this afternoon's game at Oldham. It was written by Jeremy Cross.

Oldham Athletic profited from some shambolic defending to cruise to victory and deepen the gloom hanging over Hereford United and their manager, Graham Turner.

First-half goals by Lee Hughes, Andy Liddell and Daniel Jones left Hereford facing humiliation as John Sheridan’s team barely broke sweat in the process of securing their first win in four outings and a return to third place in the table. Danny Whitaker’s goal at the end merely compounded the away side’s misery. A dejected Turner said: “I’ve been quiet in my criticism of late, but we just didn’t compete. This is an eye-opener because the first 45 minutes was unacceptable. We’ve just got to do much better.”

With Hereford adrift at the foot of the table with just one win to their name, this was a contest that Sheridan must have expected his team to win. What he would not have envisaged was for the visiting team to capitulate before the interval.

The collapse was under way within four minutes. There seemed little danger when Craig Davies tried his luck with a raking shot, but Darren Randolph, the Hereford goalkeeper, made a hash of his save, spilling the ball into the path of Hughes, who scored his sixth goal of the season.

Hereford almost equalised within two minutes, but Toumani Diagouraga’s goalbound strike was blocked by Jones, who was influential at both ends. Yet Oldham remained in control. Hughes headed inches wide and it came as no surprise when they doubled their advantage after 15 minutes. Bruno N’Gotty bundled over Hughes to concede a penalty that Liddell converted with ease.

Hughes and Liddell squandered chances to increase Hereford’s misery as Oldham’s fluent passing and intelligent movement left their opponents perplexed.

Confusion turned to anger for Turner in the 36th minute when Jones was allowed to gallop down the left flank before drilling a shot across Randolph and into the bottom corner of the net to kill off the game. Hereford’s afternoon was summed up when, within the space of two minutes, Stephen O’Leary was first booked and then shown a straight red card, the latter punishment for a crude challenge on Mark Allott.

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