A MUCH-CHANGED Oldham Athletic side were well beaten by Accrington Stanley in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night.

Boss Dino Maamria gave a host of players a chance to impress but saw the League One side run out comfortable winners.

Latics also finished the game with 10 men after Dylan Fage’s red card just before half-time.

Oldham had beaten Liverpool’s Under-21s 3-2 in their opening Trophy fixture and complete the group stage at Fleetwood on Tuesday, November 12 knowing victory will see them join Stanley in the knockout stages.

John Coleman’s side took the lead at Boundary Park through a fine strike from Sadou Diallo before Offrande Zanzala doubled the lead from the spot.

Fage was then sent off for a late tackle before Jordan Clark scored a sublime chip in the dying stages of the match.

The visitors started brightly as Clark picked up the ball and looked to link up with his forwards. The wide man drove with the ball and tried to slip in Diallo, but the pass just wasn’t strong enough.

It was Latics who had the best early chances though and they should have taken the lead through centre half Jamie Stott after his header from a corner produced a fine reflex save from Toby Savin in the Stanley goal.

Oldham could have scored yet again in the opening 10 minutes as Kielen Adams failed to make the most of another free header.

The hosts kept coming with a Jonny Smith free-kick dealt with well by Savin – the keeper palming the ball wide enough to stop Oldham having a tap in on the rebound.

The opening goal came on the half hour mark and despite the home side’s despite chances it came at the other end.

Clark played a free-kick to Diallo who sent a rocket from 25-yards out into the top corner giving Gregor Zabret no chance.

The goal lifted the visitors and with five minutes remaining in the first half, Clark dropped into space in the box and after being found with a pass, opened up his body and looked to curl one towards the top corner, but Zabret produced a fine save.

Stanley did not have to wait long for their second goal though, as on the stroke of half-time Lamine Kaba Sherif was brought down in the box and a penalty was given – much to the dismay of the home faithful.

Zanzala stepped up and tucked the penalty away with confidence with things then quickly getting even worse for Latics.

Fage was sent for an early bath in the final minute of the half after he put in a very late tackle on Kaba Sherif.

Oldham had it all to do to get back in the game in the second half as they were two goals and a man down, Filipe Morais bringing a save from Savin.

But after Kaba Sherif couldn’t find the target from a tight angle it was the visitors who scored a third.

Clark got his name on the scoresheet after some wonderful passing put him through on goal and he brilliantly lifted the ball over Zabret – some of the home fans even applauding the quality of the strike.

Oldham: Zabret, Iacovitti, Stott, Wilson, Missilou (Smith-Brown 78), Fage, Sylla, Smith (Kokos 73), Adams (Morais 46), Egert, Hamer. Subs not used: Allen, Maouche, Gonzales, Wheater

Stanley: Savin, Edwards, Sykes, Rodgers, Francis-Angol, Clark (De Sousa 88), Barclay, Diallo (Finley 60), Sherif, Carvalho, Zanzala (Charles 70). Subs not used: Evtimov, Pritchard, Maguire, Opoku