Cambridge United’s winning run in Sky Bet League Two came to an end with a 3-1 defeat at Oldham Athletic, despite George Maris’ wonderful strike earning the U’s an early lead.
Paul Lewis and Ade Azeez were rewarded for their impressive performances in midweek with places in the starting eleven.
With Joe Dunne’s men looking to extend their purple patch in League Two, they certainly got off to the perfect start when Maris belted in a thunderous strike from 25 yards which had Oldham keeper Alex Palmer comfortably beaten on six minutes.
Paul Lewis tried his luck from a similar position on 15 minutes and was not far away either, as his right footed effort dipped fractions over the top of the cross bar.
Maris was then presented the chance to double his and United’s tally moments later, when Jabo Ibehre’s pass through the middle split the Oldham defence and put the midfielder through on goal, however he was denied by the right glove of Palmer on this occasion.
The U’s were largely comfortable for the remainder of the first half and kept David Forde quiet in his goal. Only a late free kick for the Latics in which Andy Taylor popped up at the far post but crashed a half volley against the torso of Jake Carroll came close to troubling United.
Brad Halliday was replaced shortly after half time when the right back felt the consequences of a heavy collision and was replaced by Louis John.
Cameron Dummigan blazed an attempt high and wide of the U’s target ten minute into the half as the hosts looked to find a leveller and United worked hard to protect their advantage.
However Oldham did pull level on 61 minutes when George Edmundson rose highest for a corner delivery and powered a header past Forde from eight yards.
Maris was close to another spectacular effort as he curled a shot across the face of goal that had Palmer scrambling but bent wide of the target.
David Amoo was introduced with 20 minutes to play as Joe Dunne made clear his intentions of targeting the three points in the encounter.
However, a terrible mix up at the back for United which saw David Forde gift the hosts possession with the keeper stranded at quite a distance from his goal, was capitalised on by Jordan Lyden who passed the ball into the U’s empty net from 40 yards on 76 minutes.
And five minutes later the hosts put the game to bed as Callum Lang darted into the United area and rifled in a third with a fierce shot that whistled over the top of Forde.
Oldham Athletic: Palmer, Dummigan (Surridge, 70 mins), Taylor, Edmundson, Lyden, Gardner (Maouche, 66 mins), Miller, Lang, Branger-Engone, Hunt, Clarke
Bookings: Branger-Engone
Cambridge United: Forde, Halliday (John, 49 mins), Taylor, Taft, Carroll, Deegan, Lewis, Maris, Brown, Ibehre, Azeez (Amoo, 70 mins)
Bookings:
Attendance: 3,818 (290)