Oldham Athletic 0-2 Wednesday

Wednesday cemented their place in the npower League One automatic promotion spots with a convincing 2-0 victory at in-form Oldham Athletic.

Second-half goals from David Prutton and Ryan Lowe, from the penalty spot, gave the Owls a deserved win across the Pennines. Defeat for Huddersfield Town saw the Owls extend the gap from the play-offs to three points, while also closing the gap on leaders Charlton Athletic, who were held to a draw.

Prutton, recalled to the starting line-up in the absence of the injured James O’Connor, netted a screamer of a goal to open the scoring before substitute Lowe sealed the win late on from the spot.

Owls boss Gary Megson made a string of changes to the side that progressed in the FA Cup last weekend. Sanchez Watt played for the first time since making his loan switch from Arsenal, playing up top with Chris O’Grady, while Ben Marshall, David Prutton, Danny Batth and Stephen Bywater all returned.

Both sides were in form going into the game and it was Latics captain Dean Furman who drilled a long-range effort just wide early on as the hosts looked to kick-on from their midweek JP Trophy win over Bradford City.

The hosts came even closer not long after when former Owls striker Shefki Kuqi sent a header just over the bar following good work by Robbie Simpson down the wing. It was a positive start by the Latics and Wednesday needed to find a way to get back into it.

The visitors’ first chance came through Marshall, who was ill going into the game and eventually subbed at the interval, who sent a free-kick just over the bar.

Oldham had the better of the first-half and Simpson looked the man to be wary of for the hosts, forcing Bywater into two good saves – one just before the interval as the scoreline remained goalless going into the break.

Half-Time: Oldham 0-0 Wednesday

Wednesday needed improvements after the break if they were to return to Yorkshire with anything to show for their efforts and they got just that. Megson brought on Lowe for the ill Marshall.

The change, although forced, almost paid off when the former Bury hitman tested Oldham stopper Alex Cisak with a good effort shortly after his introduction.

It was going to need something special to break the deadlock in a game of few chances and Prutton provided just that for the Owls.

Firing towards the travelling Owls that made up over half the attendance at Boundary Park, Prutton rolled back the year to produce some brilliant ball control, beating two Oldham players before striking an unstoppable effort beyond Cisak to give Wednesday the lead.

The Latics were now forced to take the game to Wednesday but Bywater didn’t have too much to do in goal as the Owls took control of proceedings.

Wednesday still needed another goal to do away with any kind of tense ending and Lowe provided it from the spot with eight minutes to go.

Watt looked dangerous in the Athletic penalty area and Simpson, his marker, was adjudged to have felled the Arsenal loanee in the box, giving the referee no option other than to point to the spot.

Lowe stepped up and made no mistake to wrap the points up and send the travelling Wednesdayites barmy behind the goal.

Full-Time: Oldham 0-2 Wednesday

Oldham: Cisak, Yves M’Voto (Tarkowski 56), Black, Diamond, Furman, Simpson, Adeyemi (Smith 75), Parker (Morais 69), Lee, Scapuzzi, Kuqi. Unused substitutes: Bouzanis, Mancini.

Wednesday: Bywater, Tavernier, Batth, Jones, R Johnson, Watt (Bennett 87), Semedo, Lines, Prutton, Marshall (Lowe 46), O’Grady. Unused substitutes: O’Donnell, J Johnson, Morrison.