OLDHAM Athletic bowed out of the FA Cup at the first round stage courtesy of a comfortable win for National League rivals Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground.

The game might have been the subject of television cameras, for ITV’s live broadcast, and Netflix for the ongoing documentary ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, but it was not the kind of blockbuster that Dragons co-owner Ryan Reynolds is familiar with.

Latics barely had a cameo role in a match in which Wrexham showcased their dominance.

There were flashes of what David Unsworth’s side are capable of in an attacking sense, but it was their defensive vulnerabilities that left them exposed to Wrexham’s leading man, Paul Mullin, in particular.

Latics went into the game hoping to tap into the kind of performance that almost led to them getting something out of their first meeting with the Welsh club this season, in what was Unsworth’s first home game in charge.

On that occasion they had taken a 26th minute lead through Mike Fondop and carried it through for most of the rest of the game.

But Latics’ lack of fitness was exploited by a Wrexham side who came on strong, scoring an 85th minute equaliser before that man Mullin clinched it in stoppage time.

It was a sliding doors moment. A result against Wrexham at that point - even a draw - and confidence goes through the roof. But that hit in stoppage time really hit them hard, and they have struggled to replicate that kind of performance since. John Rooney, certainly, has struggled to rediscover the same standards of his Latics debut against the Dragons.

Away form - or rather lack of it - is also something that has plagued Oldham all season. So being a side that has yet to win away (discounting their penalty shoot-out success at Chester to set up this first round meeting) against a team that has a 100 per cent record on home soil - their best home run since 1920 - and it was always going to be a difficult task.

It was one that Unsworth did not fear, though, and made sure that message was transmitted to his players, despite going into the tie on a run of one win in seven league games.

However, it was a task that was made all the more problematic by conceding in the 10th minute, and an avoidable goal at that.

Their inability to defend set pieces and Ben Tozer’s mammoth throw-ins was their Achilles heel over the piece.

But to their eternal credit, Latics refused to wave the white flag, even when Mullin effectively put the result beyond doubt with this second and Wrexham’s third just after the hour.

Unsworth continued to look for a way to affect the game. Having brought on Fondop for Jordan Clarke at half-time and switched from a 5-3-2 to 4-4-2 formation, which almost brought its rewards straight away as Fondop and Timmy Abraham linked well, at 3-0 he replaced Abraham with Conor Carty to freshen up things up front.

Hallam Hope was a welcome addition to the starting line for his first game since September after recovering from an alleged assault - the investigation for which remains ongoing.

But it was a difficult game for the forward to impose himself on, and he was starved of service to even try. With important league games coming up, his inclusion was perhaps as much with a view to getting valuable match minutes into his legs.

The contest was more suited to Fondop’s fearsome frame, which he is starting to use more to his advantage under Unsworth.

Mark Kitching was another positive and looked to cause problems on his debut with his deliveries from the left, and stop crosses at the other end.

But there were still too many flaws to contend with at the back overall, and, alarmingly, it could have been more than three for the hosts.

Jayson Leutwiler, who did not grasp his first opportunity of the season between the posts, had Nathan Sheron to thank for goalline clearance, and there were other occasions where better finishing might have made the win even more comfortable for Wrexham.

If it is any consolation, Latics are not on their own in being on the end of that kind of scoreline this season, it is the 11th time Phil Parkinson’s side have scored three or more in a game.

But Latics have not scored three on the road all season, so when they were left needing to score three to progress to the next round, and later four, they were not expected to succeed.

The biggest disappointment will, again, be the manner of the goals.

The first was far too easy.

Tozer’s throw-in was only half cleared by Latics, Leutwiler got a weak hand to Luke Young’s initial shot and palmed it into the path of Sam Dalby to sidefoot home from close range.

Rooney looked for a quick equaliser but after evading two challenges had his right foot shot deflected behind and the keeper dealt with the corner.

Sheron then kept out a second with the goalline clearance from Callum McFadzean at the end of an impressive build-up. But Latics could not capitalise on the let-off and it was 2-0 two minutes later.

Just after Abraham had gone close with his first real sight of goal, Wrexham raced up the other end, where David Okagbue’s weak header gifted Mullin the chance to bury his shot.

The introduction of Fondop helped Latics make a brighter start to the second half as he linked effectively with Abraham. Rooney edged forward and had options to his right but went for goal himself and fired wide of the target.

Sheron, who had switched to right back and weighed in with some brilliant challenges, then picked out Abraham with a superb cross, but the keeper got both hands to his header.

Momentum swung back as Tozer triggered the third goal with another long throw-in, Lois Maynard could only flick it into the path of Mullin in the box, and the top scorer instinctively headed home for his 15th goal in 20 games.

Elliot Lee had two shots blocked, first by Maynard, then by Sheron saving an almost certain goal for the second time, and Mullin was denied a hat-trick before he was replaced.

Latics were left to concentrate on the league. And what an important period they are entering into.