OLDHAM Athletic caretaker manager Pete Wild presided over a 'comfortable' 2-0 win against hapless Notts County and now expects to take charge against Premier League Fulham in the FA Cup.

Strikes either side of half time from defenders Tom Hamer and Peter Clarke helped the Latics secure a fourth home win in five games and keep them four points off the League Two play-offs.

The club's academy manager, set to pit his wits against former Premier League winning boss Claudio Ranieri in the cup third round next weekend, claims an open approach to communication has helped him produce back-to-back victories.

“I saw a comfortable affair, and that is not being disrespectful to them," said Wild.

"I thought we got a foothold in the game a lot earlier than we did at Port Vale.

"Then, when we did score, I thought we deserved to score and went in at the break really in control of the football match which was really pleasing to see.”

“We spoke at half time that we must be on the front foot, we can’t give them anything to grab hold of and I thought we did that with Pete’s goal.

"It was a typical Peter Clarke goal and it took the pressure off a little bit. But then they came back at us.

“It’s been an open forum in the manager’s office.

"It’s been where everybody has voiced their opinion and then it is down for me to pull everyone’s opinions together and decide what is then the best course of action.

“I’ve got to plan as if I am taking the game but whether I will be taking the game will hopefully be confirmed quite soon because we have a lot of preparation to do.

"In due course, unless you hear anything it will be me.”

It was the away side who had the first chance, County centre-half Pierce Bird nodding a corner goalbound before it was cleared off the line by Gevaro Nepumuceno.

Callum Lang was looking his normal lively self and he shrugged off two defenders to fire a shot at the legs of Ross Fitzsimons after a pinpoint pass by Jordan Lyden.

Then the match drifted into deadlock as if both sides had agreed to work off a New Year’s Day hangover, aside from Latics midfielder Mohamed Maouche side-footing wide from eight yards.

The accidental nature of the opening goal was therefore fitting as Hamer's mishit cross from the right-hand side, intended for the back post, sailed over the head of Fitzsimons and opened the scoring.

Latics, unbeaten in more than five years against their visitors, quickly doubled their lead after the interval.

Johan Brenger-Engone, deputising for Rob Hunt, provided a sublime left-footed cross from a free kick and captain Clarke, toe-poked home from close range.

Sloppy distribution nearly let County back into the game but David Vaughan’s volley troubled only the away fans behind the goal.

The home side continued to press and Hamer's cross found the head of Maouche, whose downward header was on target but lacked power.

Neal Ardley's side did not lack fight but only sloppiness would have hauled them back into the contest and Oldham nearly obliged when goalscorer Clarke turned the ball onto his own post under pressure.

The Meadow Lane outfit have won just one of their last 10 visits to Boundary Park in all competitions and ended their latest with 10 men, losing Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain to a second yellow card just before full time.

MATCH STATS

Latics (4-1-4-1): Iverson 6; Hamer 7, Clarke 7, Edmundson 7, Nepumuceno 6; Lyden 7; Lang 6, Missilou 6, Maouche 7, Branger-Engone 7 (Robinson 89); O’Grady 6 (Surridge 67, 6)

Subs not used: De La Paz (GK), Taylor, Graham, Norman, Swarby-Neavin.

Notts County (3-5-2): Fitzsimons 5; Bird 6, Duffy 6, Brisley 5; Vaughan 5, Tootle 5 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 45, 5), Kellett 6 (Thomas 67), Milsom 6, Evina 6; Dennis 6, Stead 6 (Etete 79, 5).

Subs not used: Pindroch (GK), Husin, Crawford, Osborne.

Referee: Anthony Backhouse 7/10.

Attendance: 4,336.