AFTER being starved of live football for 18 months, this is what celebrating a first win looked like for returning Latics fans. A dramatic penalty shoot-out win at that.

Oldham had shown real character to claw their way back from 2-0 down and take their Carabao Cup first round clash with Tranmere Rovers to penalties.

And after new goalkeeper Danny Rogers produced two stunning penalty saves, with Sam Hart, Davis Keillor-Dunn, Jack Stobbs and Nicky Adams all converting their spot kicks, the outpouring of emotion led to hundreds of fans pouring onto the pitch once Adams had sealed the win for Latics.

Quite what the ground staff would have made of the stampede just two games into a new season on a new surface, while the club are endeavouring to adhere to Covid protocols. Indeed, head coach Keith Curle was absent from the game having tested positive for coronavirus and embarked on a 10-day isolation period, while five first team players missed the first game of the season through having to self isolate as a result of either a positive test or being a close contact.

And there may well be ramifications for Latics from the Football Association and English Football League.

Nevertheless, the moment made the win an even more memorable occasion for assistant head coach Colin West, who took charge of the team in Curle's absence, as well as penalty hero Rogers.

"It's unusual because it's only the first leg. But it's a great way to win and it's nice that we could get the win for them," said West.

"It's lovely to see the fans back.

"It's lovely to win that game but it's much better with punters. The players respond to that don't they."

Shoot-out star Rogers added: "It was unbelievable. And that was only the first round, I wonder what they're going to do if we win the cup!

"It was great to see. Fans haven't been in stadiums for so long so they deserve that and it was good to meet them in that fashion."