A hat-trick from Jordy Hiwula and a venomous strike from Seko Fofana were the difference in another impressive win for the under-21s at Boundary Park.
Nine UK and Ireland youngsters lined up in Patrick Vieira’s XI, including an all-English back-line of Adam Drury, Shay Facey, Ellis Plummer and Greg Leigh.
After his man of the match winning performance against West Ham for the first-team the previous night, Marcos Lopes was unsurprisingly absent from the teamsheet, though the Portuguese playmaker was present at the second highest ground in the UK to support his teammates.
Lopes’s absence meant that Sinan Bytyqi and Devante Cole started in the wide berths in support of Jordy Hiwula up front.
Albert Rusnak joined Birmingham City on a month youth loan deal on Tuesday, allowing George Glendon and Seko Fofana to start in the centre of midfield, with Emyr Huws anchoring in behind.
City won their opening Senior Cup tie against Rochdale on penalties after an entertaining 2-2 draw at Hyde, meaning that a win here would see them through to the final against Manchester United.
Oldham named Anton Rodgers, son of Liverpool manager Brendan, in their line-up alongside a blend of promising youngsters and a few with their share of first-team experience in League One.
On a six-match winning streak at under-21 level, the Blues were hoping to keep up the momentum with another victory to breed confidence going into the league Manchester derby at Salford City Stadium on Monday night.
Vieira’s men made a bright start under the lights of Boundary Park and it was Cole who almost gave City the lead after neat work from Glendon and Bytyqi on the right flank but the forward couldn’t beat Paul Rachubka in the Latics goal, despite having two bites at the cherry.
On the quarter of an hour mark, Fofana went close to giving his side the lead but his measured turn and shot from the edge of the area just flashed wide of the far post.
Despite City’s domination of possession, they struggled to carve out too many meaningful chances in the first 25 minutes but two goals in three minutes transformed the complexion of the game.
...Oldham v City EDS: Match report...
Bytyqi was the architect for the opener on 27 minutes, sliding in Hiwula on the right flank and the City EDS top-scorer did the rest, letting the ball run across his body before smashing it past the Oldham keeper.
Three minutes later, the advantage was doubled and it was (arguably) Hiwula again.
Arguably? Well, it appeared the City no.9 slotted the ball under Rachubka for his second after a good pull-back from Glendon but Cole got a touch either on or over the line just to make sure.
With a comfortable two goal lead at the break, Hiwula and Cole continued the debate in their own two-man dubious goals panel on their way back down the tunnel.
Oldham came out for the second period a couple of minutes earlier than the away side, clearly eager to start the half on the front foot.
They nearly halved the deficit three minutes after the break courtesy of a well-hit Rodgers free-kick but it just missed the near post with City keeper Ian Lawlor scrambling across goal to to get there.
Olivier Ntcham completed his return from injury when he replaced Bytyqi with the hour approaching but it was his compatriot who put the game beyond the hosts
Fofana, one of City’s brightest performers on the night, found the bottom corner of the net with a stunning 25 yard strike which kissed the inside of the far post before nestling home.
Three became four with 15 minutes to play when Hiwula completed his hat-trick by latching onto an undercooked Oldham backpass and slotting clinically past Rachubka.
That’s how it stayed, meaning Monday’s derby will be a dress rehearsal for the Manchester Senior Cup final.
