"If Carlsberg did one-game management, that's it. It couldn't have gone any better," smiled Paul Murray after his midfield masterstroke secured Oldham Athletic's place in the FA Cup first round proper with a 1-0 win at Altrincham.

Harrison McGahey was a surprise inclusion in the starting XI at Altrincham, considering his last game was on September 13, 2022 - a midweek away defeat to Woking.

Since then he has battled back from a slipped disc which threatened to bring an end to his career.

But, watched by new Latics manager Micky Mellon from the stands, McGahey not only came through 90 minutes - playing in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role - but he delivered the magic of the FA Cup with the match-winner, in what Murray says will be his one and only game in football management.

"Tactically we were brilliant, the lads worked really hard and it was a really good performance. And I was so pleased for Harrison scoring the winner," said Academy manager Murray, who stepped up to lead the side following the departure of interim management duo Steve Thompson and Neil Redfearn earlier in the week. "Harrison's had a long time out, but I had the faith in him and played him in midfield. I saw him in training for three weeks, passing the ball well, he's experienced and can communicate, but to last 90 (minutes) I thought he was phenomenal.

"It's what I've seen in training over the last three weeks. He's one of the best passers of the ball, he communicates well, he's got a good stature about him, he's good in both boxes for us, so that's what I decided to do and it worked out well, because I bet the punters were looking at it going 'what is he doing here?' and Altrincham were probably the same.

"But I'd made that decision in my mind. I thought he could really help and he did."

McGahey slotted home from close range in the 79th minute after Ben Tollitt's corner was nodded down to him in the six-yard box. And Murray praised a team effort in ending Altrincham's five-game winning run to extend Latics' own unbeaten run to seven games.

"Tactically I thought we did well. They're a good team, they are the in-form team in the league, so we were coming here as underdogs, which is crazy but we were," he said.

"You can see why they're the form team because they cause so many issues. They rotate, they've got good footballers, good movement off the ball, loads of willing runners, so it was difficult. But I thought at times we defended superbly, balls in the box, blocks, and kept them at arm's length for periods.

"Everyone put a shift in. James Norwood was playing right back in the end because Altrincham are a good team and they're good at what they do.

"To have them for a couple of days, change shape and have a tweak in personnel and to get that result, I'm really pleased."

And Murray confirmed that while Mellon had a watching brief from the stands, there was no input from the new boss.

"No, it was solely me," he added. "A 100 per cent record for me. The one and only game I'll take, so I'm really pleased.

"I did go and see Micky in the directors' box before the game to say welcome. I know him from the football circuit so he'll be great for the club and probably exactly what the club needs at the minute.

"It's pleasing all round."