GOALKEEPER Danny Rogers was the hero with two spot kick saves as Latics came back from 2-0 down to book their place in the Carabao Cup second round with a penalty shoot-out win over Tranmere Rovers.

Keith Curle was absent after testing positive for coronavirus, but his players will have cheered their head coach up with the way they turned this tie around.

Latics had dominated possession and chances in the first half but found themselves a goal down at the break after Sam Foley struck against the run of play.

Tranmere doubled their lead early in the second half.

But Dylan Bahamboula began the fightback before the hour, before a Tom Davies own goal ultimately forced the tie to be settled on penalties.

Sam Hart struck a wonderful spot kick to cancel out Jay Spearing’s opener, and it was advantage Oldham when Davis Keillor-Dunn scored after Paul Glatzel’s kick was well saved by Rogers.

It was all square again as Kyle Jameson missed after Keiron Morris scored.

But after Rogers pushed Peter Clarke’s spot kick onto the post and Jack Stobbs converted, it was left to Nicky Adams to settle the tie and prompt wild celebrations at Boundary Park.

Latics were on the front foot from the off and when Jamie Bowden was encouraged to shoot from distance he obliged with a low shot that went wide of the near left post, but it was a sign of things to come.

Dylan Bahamboula was named in the side after missing Saturday’s opening day defeat to Newport County due to Covid restrictions, and he was at his marauding best, contributing to a succession of corners that came close to bearing fruit.

Bowden’s deliveries were often pinpoint ones to the far post, and Carl Piergianni came close to benefitting but had two thumping headers saved by Ross Doohan.

The captain was involved again as Bahamboula dribbled down the left channel and cut the ball back for the defender, who nudged it on for Davis Keillor-Dunn to strike but his close-range effort rose over the bar.

By this point Latics had not been troubled at the back, but Kyle Jameson caused himself problems when he took too long on the ball after receiving it from goalkeeper Danny Rogers in the box. The defender was put under pressure by Paul Glatzel but luckily for Jameson Glatzel’s challenge was too assertive and the ball rolled behind for a goal kick.

It was a warning sign, though.

Latics moved quickly up to the other end, where they won yet another corner from which the impressive Sam Hart competed with the keeper at the far left post and won another flag kick that Doohan launched himself at to claim.

Latics came back at Tranmere, and there were appeals for a penalty when Hart went down in the box. But it looked more like a loss of footing for the wing back, with his momentum taking him towards the turf, rather than a foul.

Tranmere ploughed forward and won a corner that Latics dealt with and tried to launch a quick counter, but Rovers were a match to it and got men behind the ball.

Nevertheless, Bahamboula worked an opening and bent the ball beautifully at goal, but it was agonisingly wide. More so when Tranmere took the lead almost immediately.

They had not registered a shot until the 40th minute, but took the lead with it when Paul Glatzel slipped the ball through for Sam Foley to finish, one-on-one with Rogers.

It was a sucker punch, and one Latics needed to recover from if they were to make their first half dominance count for something.

But the gradient on their uphill battle got steeper when, after Jack Stobbs’ ambitious effort missed the target, Tranmere doubled their advantage.

Josh Dacres-Cogley burst down the right and crossed for Elliot Nevitt to fire into the roof of the net from close range six minutes into the second half.

But Latics got themselves back in it with the most outrageous finish from Bahamboula, who weaved his way along the byline before catching Doohan out with a finish from the tightest of angles.

Substitute Junior Luamba was presented with a chance seconds after coming off the bench but fluffed it and the ball rolled harmlessly to the keeper.

Latics persevered though, and were rewarded when Tom Davies directed a header from substitute Nicky Adams’ free-kick past his own goalkeeper.

Both sides had chances to win it after that, with eight minutes of stoppage time in which to avoid penalties. Keillor-Dunn came the closest when his looping header from Adams’ cross bounced off the post.