Ecstatic Oldham cast woes aside

Oldham 3 Liverpool 2

Twice in the first half, the 6’6” international business studies graduate benefited from poor goalkeeping from Australian Brad Jones, scoring either side of a Luis Suarez equaliser.

Team mate Reece Wabara marked the final day of his loan spell from Manchester City by scoring Oldham’s third before a deflected Joe Allen effort assured the League One side of an anxious and frantic final 11 minutes before they could celebrate reaching the fifth round for the first time in 19 years.

The focus will be on Brendan Rodgers and a season of one step forward, two steps back as he continues to struggle at the Anfield helm.

But that would be to diminish a thoroughly deserved win for an Oldham side that is dangerously close to League Two and which had one win in its previous nine league and cup games before beating their illustrious visitors.

The future of Oldham manager Paul Dickov may still be uncertain and three of his coaching staff, who were placed on gardening leave by ownership on New Year’s Eve, remain away from Boundary Park.

But whatever the future holds, nobody can deny Oldham and their supporters an afternoon in which they recalled the halcyon days of Joe Royle and top-flight football.

“There are two ways you can react,” said Dickov when explaining how he had responded to the sacking of his staff. “You can spit your dummy out and feel sorry for yourself or you can roll your sleeves up and get on with it.

“That’s what I had to do as a player because I wasn’t the most talented and I had to work hard. I will always work hard to get what I get.

“This was a fantastic result and I’m proud of the players and the fans as well. I know what they are capable of. I just thought the desire they had was the reason why we won it in the end.”

There was a sense that this, the last of 16 largely memorable fourth round ties, would offer something special after less than three minutes when Youssouf M’Changama crossed from the left, with Jones conspicuous by his absence, and Smith made towering contact. Martin Skrtel tried in vain to clear Smith’s header but succeeded only in helping the ball into the roof of his net.

Luis Suarez equalised on 17 minutes. Made captain for the day by Rodgers, the Uruguayan attempted to pass to Daniel Sturridge and was fortunate to be given the ball back by Cliff Byrne’s poor touch. The Uruguay forward benefitted doubly as goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis allowed his 15-yard shot to pass under his body into the net.

It took until first half injury-time for Smith to restore the lead, again with an “assist” from Jones after the goalkeeper fumbled Wabara’s cross and Croft had the presence of mind to square for the forward to tap into an open net.

And when Fabio Borini opened the second half by blazing a glorious opening over the bar from eight yards, there was more than a hint that this would be an afternoon for the underdogs.

Sure enough, three minutes later, Oldham substitute Carl Winchester crossed from the left and found Wabara just outside the six-yard box, the right-back sending a superb header soaring over Jones and into the net.

Finally, after the introduction of Steven Gerrard and Stewart Downing, Liverpool looked something more like their status and a corner from the latter was headed out to Allen whose well-struck volley took a deflection on its way into the net after 79 minutes. There were chances at both ends — and six anxious minutes of injury-time for Oldham to negotiate — with Gerrard striking the cross-bar from all of 30 yards but, whatever the fate awaiting Dickov, this was an evening he will long remember.

OLDHAM (4-4-1-1): Bouzanis 6; Wabara 8, Byrne 6, M’Voto 7, Grounds 7; Croft 8, Baxter 8, Wesolowski 7, M’Changama (Winchester 10, 7); Simpson 7 (Taylor 77); Smith 9 (Mellor 83). Subs (not used): Cisak, Brown, Tarkowski, Sutherland.

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Jones 3; Wisdom 5 (Gerrard 55, 8), Coates 5, Skrtel 6, Robinson 6; Henderson 7, Allen 6; Sterling 6 (Shelvey 71, 6), Suarez 7, Borini 4 (Downing 55, 6); Sturridge 4. Subs (not used): Lucas, Carragher, Suso, Gulacsi.

Referee: L Probert 7.