DINO Maamria was left purring as Oldham brushed Bradford aside with a scintillating 3-0 victory.

Zak Dearnley took advantage of a Bantams defensive howler to give the Latics an early advantage before Jonny Smith doubled their lead with a sublime curling effort and Mohamed Maouche added a third before the break.

And Maamria was left questioning how their scoring ended at three as his side stretched their unbeaten run to six games.

“I think it was very good today,” he said.

“We didn’t concede, I love clean sheets. I was disappointed on Tuesday we conceded in the last kick of the game.

“I thought the way we started the game was tremendous. I think the team keeps growing in confidence and belief.

“I think we had 26 shots today and I think they got away with 3-0. I can’t believe in the second half we didn’t score more goals, but that’s not a lack of effort because their keeper made some unbelievable saves and the ball didn’t fall for us.

“But as an attacking threat as a team, we were outstanding. We played good football as well through the thirds, something we’ve been working on. It’s good to have a settled team together.”

Kick-off at Boundary Park was delayed until 3:30pm after an advertising board became partially dislodged from a stand in high winds and work took place to remove it.

Maamria kept faith with the same side which beat Mansfield in midweek, while opposite number Gary Bowyer made four changes as Richard O’Donnell, Jake Reeves, Adam Henley and Chris Taylor came into the Bantams team.

The Latics took advantage of a costly slip by Bantams defender Anthony O’Connor after 10 minutes and Dearnley darted into the box to finish coolly past O’Donnell.

Oldham doubled their lead on 20 minutes when Gevaro Nepomuceno teed up Smith on the edge of the box and he was given too much time and space by the Bradford rearguard to curl in a delightful effort.

Danny Rowe nearly caught out O’Donnell who just cleared a slow backpass on 25 minutes, while Carl Piergianni darted in at the backpost to head Smith's corner wide.

There was a nervous moment for Bantams defender Ben Richards-Everton when he almost put Smith's cross into his own net as his interception looped just over the bar.

Dylan Connolly’s cross was met by Bradford striker Clayton Donaldson who blasted a first time effort off target before the break.

But Latics had a third when Maouche slipped in behind the Bradford defence after a flick on and the substitute nutmegged Bantams stopper O’Donnell in first-half stoppage time.

O’Donnell stopped a fourth Latics goal after the break, first denying Smith and then parrying Nepomuceno’s follow-up to safety.

The Bantams stopper later kept Christopher Missilou at bay before Callum Cooke cleared David Wheater’s goalbound header.

Substitute Zak Mills drifted in at the far post to meet Smith’s corner after the hour but could not find the target, while Rowe’s long-range effort brushed the side-netting.  

Zeus de la Paz parried Shay McCartan’s free-kick away with 20 minutes left in a rare Bradford chance, before Richards-Everton’s header dropped wide.

O’Donnell was called into action again to keep Maouche’s low effort out before full-time. 

And Maamria says that there was only one thing that blemished what otherwise could go down as a perfect afternoon’s work.

“Probably the only negative today is Zak Dearnley who came off after having a brilliant start and scoring his first goal of the season,” he continued.

“That’s probably the only negative from it, but I’m sure Zach will come back stronger for it, but what a performance and what a result.”

Oldham: (4-4-2): de la Paz 7, Hamer 7, Wheater 7, Piergianni 6, Borthwick-Jackson 6, Nepomuceno 8 (Mills 60 6), Sylla 8, Missilou 7 (McCann 87 N/A), Smith 9, Rowe 7, Dearnley 6 (Maouche 31 7). Subs not used: Allen, N’Guessan, Branger-Engone, Wilson

Bradford: (5-3-2): O’Donnell 7, Henley 4, A O’Connor 4, P O’Connor 5 (McCartan 46 5), Richards-Everton 5, Wood 4, Taylor 6, Reeves 4 (Mottley-Henry 46 5), Cooke 5, Connolly 5, Donaldson 4 (Gibson 88 N/A).  Subs not used: McGee, Pritchard, French, Akpan

Attendance: 5,198

Referee: Ben Toner