SALFORD CITY 2, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 0
This was a win which was especially sweet for Paul Scholes, Salford City’s interim manager.
Scholes had one month in charge of Oldham Athletic two seasons ago before an acrimonious departure after reports of interference by owner Abdallah Lemsagam.
After the sacking of Graham Alexander, Salford turned to Scholes, one of the club’s owners, to take over until a replacement is appointed.
Latics, who had won their previous two away matches at Bolton Wanderers and Southend United, failed to compete a hat-trick of successes on the road as they lost at the Peninsula Stadium/
Goals from former Manchester United striker James Wilson and Ashley Hunter were suffice to secure maximum points for Salford.
It was an afternoon in which head coach Harry Kewell returned after completing his self-isolation following his positive test for Covid-19.
He named one change to his side from the midweek win at Southend as top scorer Conor McAleny picked up a late injury, so George Blackwood replaced him.
Scholes’ side started the game positively with Wilson causing Latics’ backline trouble.
First, he burst into the box and pulled the ball back to Hunter who blazed over. Following that, he again dribbled into the area, but his shot was well kept out by goalkeeper Ian Lawlor.
Latics’ first opportunity arrived shortly after as Davis Keillor-Dunn’s corner was met by Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, but his half-volley flew into the side netting.
In the 24th minute, Salford broke the deadlock through dangerman Wilson. Brandon Thomas-Asante cut in from the right, laid the ball to Ian Henderson and his strike was parried into the feet of Wilson and from a yard out he tapped in.
Just before the interval, former Latics’ loanee Jason Lowe brought Callum Whelan down and Keillor-Dunn curled his free-kick over the wall, but Vaclav Hladky got across his goal well to save.
Latics should have equalised early into the second-half as Whelan found himself one-on-one with the Czech goalkeeper, but his effort went the wrong side of the far post.
However, after 73 minutes, the Ammies doubled their advantage. Thomas-Asante played the ball in to Henderson who raced into the box before he laid the ball off to Hunter who kept his composure to find the net.
Latics went close when substitute Danny Rowe crossed from the right and found Keillor-Dunn whose chip went just over the crossbar.
Salford nearly had a third in the last minute when, just off the bench, Luke Armstrong tried his luck, but Lawlor managed to keep him out.
Oldham Athletic: Lawlor, Clarke, Borthwick-Jackson, Piergianni, Blackwood (Dearnley 61), Whelan, Keillor-Dunn, Grant (Rowe 77), Fage, Jameson (Bahamboula 61), Ntambwe. Subs (not used): Bilboe, Barnett, McCalmont, Hamer.
Goals: Wilson, 24, Hunter, 73, for Salford.