Ruthless Latics go goal crazy

Connor Hampson waves to the crowd as he leaves the field on a stretcher.

Curzon Ashton 1, Oldham Athletic 8

ATHLETIC brushed aside a poor Curzon Ashton outfit with a clinical display in front of goal.

This time last year the corresponding friendly fixture saw Lee Johnson's men forced to rely on two late goals to pocket a hard-earned 2-0 victory.

However, last night Athletic meant business from the off, though John Flanagan's hosts and newly-crowned Evo-Stik League Division One North champions did appear to be affected by a horrific injury to one of their young players in the 25th minute.

The Tameside Stadium pitch was in pristine condition ahead of kick-off as more than 1,000 supporters squeezed through the turnstiles.

But after 25 minutes,21-year-old Curzon defender Connor Hampson appeared to tread deep into the turf, his foot stayed where it was as he tried to chase a loose ball, and he sustained what looked like a serious leg injury.

Twenty-five minutes passed before an ambulance arrived, but Hampson was at least able to sit up as he left the field to generous applause, and the game was allowed to resume.

By that time, Athletic – who fielded six trialists in total as two different teams played a half each – were already 2-0 up thanks to Jonson Clarke-Harris's double strike.

The big front man headed home a pinpoint Joseph Mills cross, before bagging his third goal in the two pre-season games so far when he volleyed home neatly from eight yards.

The Hampson injury then held up proceedings for almost half-an-hour, before Clarke-Harris followed to the sidelines with a slight ankle injury just minutes before half-time.

One of Athletic's unnamed trialists headed home to make it 3-0 at the interval.

With Curzon understandably deflated after the restart, Athletic profited with a further five goals which will have sent their travelling fans home happy.

Genseric Kusunga scored the fourth goal when a corner was not cleared, then a Curzon defender presented the ball to Carl Winchester who couldn't miss from close range.

Winchester's second goal – less than a minute later – was a cracker. He blasted home an angled drive from 20 yards which fizzed past 'keeper Matt Green.

Young Rhys Turner then took his chances to shine with a quickfire double to register Athletic's seventh and eighth goals.

The former Stockport County man drilled home from 12 yards, before heading in a smart cross from trialist William Gros.

The visitors' sturdy defence – with fellow trialist Miguel Llera looking unflappable – was finally breached in the dying seconds when Jimmy McCartney slotted past Joel Coleman.

Athletic's next pre-season game is the first of three at the newly-renamed SportsDirect.com Park. Premier League Newcastle United are the visitors next Tuesday (7.30pm).

Athletic (first half): Rachubka, Lockwood, Wilson, B Wilson, Mills, Kelly, Jones, Dayton, Clarke-Harris (Bove), Trialist, Trialist.

Second half: Coleman, Brown, Kusunga, Llera, Winchester, Rodgers, Mellor, Turner, Gros, Trialist, Trialist.