Second-half strikes from Harry Bunn and Jack Payne maintained Huddersfield Town ’s 100% record in pre-season.
David Wagner’s side didn’t have it all their own way against their League I hosts, nor was it a seamless performance in their second public outing.
But there were still encouraging signs as this win was added to that at Guiseley and in the behind-closed-doors games against Accrington Stanley and Rochdale.
There were 814 Town fans present in a 2,163 crowd to witness the victory.
It was a quick return to Oldham for new Town keeper Joel Coleman, a £100,000 buy from the Latics, while Slovenian centre-back Jon Gorenc Stankovic and Australian international midfielder Aaron Mooy made their first public appearances for Town.
With Nahki Wells ruled out by a knee injury, boss David Wagner started with first-year professional Rekeil Pyke up front at SportsDirect.com (Boundary) Park, where Croatian midfielder Ivan Paurevic was ruled out through illness.
Freshly-appointed Oldham manager Stephen Robinson ended a busy first week in the job by naming seven of nine new signings in his starting side, including on-loan Leeds United forward Lee Erwin.
Town, with Tommy Smith wearing the captain’s armband, bossed the first half in terms of possession, but struggled to create clear-cut chances, although Pyke had an early effort from Kyle Dempsey’s pass smothered by keeper Connor Ripley.
Sean Scannell was unable to get a clean connection when meeting a Joe Lolley cross while Jason Davidson shot over after a neat one-two with fellow Aussie Mooy, who was showing signs of promise in the middle.
Smith’s foul on Billy McKay brought the home side’s best chance of the opening period with a 25-yard free-kick from which Josh Law brought a smart save from Coleman, who tipped a dipping effort over the bar.
Town had a penalty claim turned away as Lolley raced past three opponents on a darting run into the Oldham area before appearing to be fouled as he shaped to shoot.
Former Town loan midfielder Lee Croft tested Coleman with a low shot early in the second half, but substitute home keeper Chris Kettings reacted well to deal with the danger.
Then Philip Billing was thwarted by Kettings when he shot from distance, and from the resultant corner taken by Mooy, the ex-Crystal Palace man tipped over a Stankovic header.
As planned Wagner made a string of changes on the hour, although Coleman remained between the posts the become Town’s first 90-minute man of pre-season.
Dean Whitehead, linked with a move to Championship rivals Rotherham United, was among those to come on.
Chris Lowe crashed a free-kick straight into the Oldham wall after a foul on Rajiv van La Parra before Bunn’s breakthrough goal on 72 minutes, swept home from close range after a neat overlapping run and cross from 16-year-old right-back Jordan Williams, who again produced a composed performance as part of the Town side for the final half hour.
Payne sealed victory when he headed in from Whitehead’s delivery.
Team for first hour: Coleman, Smith (Hogg, HT), Hefele, Stankovic, Davidson, Billing, Mooy, Scannell, Dempsey, Lolley (Bunn, HT), Pyke.
Team for final half hour: Coleman, Williams, Schindler, Cranie, Lowe, Whitehead, Hogg, Van La Parra, Payne, Bunn, Kachunga.
