On a freezing day at Boundary Park, crisis club Oldham Athletic stunned Newport County as they ran away with a 5-0 win.

Oldham had a crisis-stricken Friday as it was revealed that the club were facing a winding-up petition from HMRC. News then also followed that they had failed to pay their staff and that their landlords, Brassbank, had served the club with a court notice over unpaid debts that may see the club enter administration. In spite of these crises, Dino Maamria’s side kept their focus on match preparation and stunned the Exiles as the Latics went on to record their largest league win since January 2007.

The first shot of the game came from Zak Dearnley, whose header hit the post in third minute following a Jonny Smith corner. Beyond this chance, though, the opening 20 minutes of the game were pretty cagey with neither side taking control.

This changed in the 20th minute when Danny Rowe gave the home side the lead. Tom Hamer forced his way through the Newport defence before he was dispossessed. The ball fell to the former Fylde man who rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home.

Just a few minutes later Zak Dearnley doubled the lead following a fantastic team move. Some nice passing the Oldham’s own half resulted in Rowe flicking the ball down the left wing for Borthwick-Jackson to chase. The Manchester United loanee crossed to Dearnley who kept his cool and neatly finished.

Oldham were the better team for the remainder of the half but there were no other notable chances and Latics walked in two goals to the good at half-time.

The second half provided more of the same for Oldham and 7 minutes into the second half Danny Rowe had his second goal of the game. Nepomuceno did well down the right-wing and cut inside before releasing Danny Rowe who held off his man and slotted under the keeper. Latics fans couldn’t quite believe what their eyes.

10 minutes later it was four. Tom Hamer was released through and goal and he hit a shot towards goal that took a huge deflection and looped over King in the Newport goal.

Rowe came close to completing his hattrick in the 70th minute. The striker picked up the goal down the right-wing and squeezed himself past the defenders before smashing a shot against the post.

Newport really were struggling to produce anything meaningful in the game and this was typified by Sheehan’s long-range effort in the 76th minute that went high and wide.

Jonny Smith completed the day’s scoring in the 82nd minute. The young winger raced down the right-wing before cutting inside and curled the ball of the inside of the left post and in.

The game finished 5-0, much to the dismay of both sets of fans. Things off the field are dire for Oldham but, if only for one night, Latics fans have something to smile about.

FULL TIME: Oldham Athletic 5-0 Newport County.

Attendance: 2,912 (147 away).

Oldham Athletic Starting XI: De La Paz, Hamer, Wheater, Piergianni, Borthwick-Jackson, Smith, McCann (86’, Missilou), Nepomuceno, Sylla (90’, N’Guessan), Rowe, Dearnley (66’, Maouche)

Subs: Allen, Branger-Engone, Maouche, Missilou, Azankpo, N’Guessan, Egert

Newport County Starting XI: King, Haynes, Gorman, Willmott (56’, Howkins), Sheehan, Matt (75’, Dolan), Nurse, Inniss, Demetriou, Khan (45’ Collins), Amond

Subs: Howkins, Dolan, Abrahams, Collins

Referee: Tom Bramall

words Chris Stringer, D3D4 Oldham Athletic correspondent