BEN Tollitt marked his move to Boundary Park with a goal as Oldham Athletic recorded their first win of pre-season in their penultimate friendly.

The winger had made a positive impression on manager John Sheridan on trial, and only served to reinforce it with what proved to be the winner against Radcliffe, just hours after being unveiled as the club’s latest signing.

Veteran striker Chris Porter had given Latics a third minute lead with his first goal since returning to the club this summer, as Sheridan’ s men started on the front foot at the Neuven Stadium.

And while it could have been more comfortable, with substitute Mike Fondop hitting the crossbar early in the second half, Latics also had to overcome a spell of pressure from the ambitious hosts, whose side included familiar faces in Nicky Adams and Radcliffe player-manager Bobby Grant.

Latics, parading their stylish new away kit on the day it was launched, welcomed back Liam Hogan and Zaine Francis-Angol after both missed Saturday’s visit of Mansfield through injury. And their return made the back four look more solid and organised, with Hogan working effectively alongside a trialist, who was unwittingly named on the Radcliffe teamsheet as Leon Legge.

Former Latics loanee Grant, meanwhile, named an unchanged line-up from the team that beat Daisy Hill at the weekend - one that included experienced ex-Reading and Bolton Wanderers midfielder Jem Karacan in midfield; a real coup for the Northern Premier League Premier Division club.

And you could tell they were a team that means business in their division this season with the manner in which they responded to shipping an early goal.

Trialist A went close to increasing Latics’ lead, bringing a smart save from Tom Stewart with one and narrowly missing the target with another, before Magnus Norman was called into action.

The goalkeeper parried Jake Thompson’s shot from the left of the box, at the end of a quick break, and his defence was able to clear.

On the half-hour, Ben Rydel managed to squeeze a low cross towards the far left post after getting to the byeline, Thompson stretched out a leg but turned it just wide.

Soon after, Latics struggled to clear their lines after Radcliffe again made inroads down the right. The ball found Luke Joyce about 25 yards out, his shot took a deflection that carried the ball through for a grateful Norman.

Radcliffe were building momentum, so it was no real surprise when they did eventually equalise. After a couple of near misses Thompson got their sought-after equaliser with a lovely finish across Norman.

Latics, keen to get that first win, ploughed forward from the re-start and Stewart made a good save from Tollitt, tipping the ball over.

They could not capitalise on the corner but, through patience and persistence, regained the lead five minutes before the break as Tollitt this time got the better of the keeper.

Porter almost grabbed a second two minutes into the second half, but Stewart was well positioned to save his header from Jack Stobbs’ cross.

Seven Latics changes in the 51st minute signalled the start of a sea of substitutions for both sides that littered the second half, making it hard to re-establish the flow of the game.

Fondop thumped a header onto the top of the cross bar from Gardner’s free kick into the box.

And that, was really, as good as it got. But it was enough to chalk off that sought-after win.

LATICS: Magnus Norman; Jordan Clarke, Trialist B (Lois Maynard 51), Liam Hogan (Harrison McGahey 51), Zaine Francis-Angol (Benny Couto 67); Jack Stobbs (Luke Burgess 51), Nathan Sheron (Harry Vaughan 51), Trailist A (Vani Da Silva 77), Ben Tollitt (Trialist C 51); Hallam Hope (Junior Luamba 51), Chris Porter (Mike Fondop 51).