A virtuoso performance by striker Lee Hughes condemned Cheltenham Town to a four-goal reverse at Boundary Park.
The former West Brom and Coventry man's 17-minute hatrick handed the early League One pace-setters a comfortable victory.
Cheltenham had done enough to go in 0-0 at the break, perhaps even sneak a cheeky half time advantage, but Hughes broke Keith Downing's side's resolve on the stroke of half time before adding number two and three after the break.
There was no coming back from that point. There was just enough time for Danny Whitaker to rub salt into the wounds five minutes from time.

TEAM NEWS: Manager Keith Downing is forced into two changes to his team. Midfielders David Bird (ankle) and Craig Armstrong (calf) lost their respective races to be fit and are replaced by new loan signings Dean Sinclair and Andy
Gallinagh. Both are straight replacements with Sinclair slotting into a three-man central midfield alongside Alex Russell and Gallinagh taking on Armstrong's role as the deep lying midfielder.

6th minute: Oldham Athletic striker Lee Hughes calls Shane Higgs into the first save of the afternoon with a tame angled effort from 10 yards.

10: Ashley Vincent and Jennison Myrie-Williams switch flanks on the ten minute mark, while Neal Ardley and Reuben Hazell conduct a slanging match on the edge of their penalty area after Barry Hayles steals possession from the Oldham right back. However the attack eventually fizzles out.

15: Skipper Sean Gregan brings the ball out of defence and picks out Hughes 30 yards from goal. The former West Brom man turns away from Shane Duff before teeing up Danny Whitaker, who tries a curler first time. Shane Higgs though pushes it onto the right post at full stretch to his left. Andy Liddell swings the flag kick in from the left, picking out Mark Allott 25 yards out who thumps a volley straight at Higgs.

16: At the other end, Gallinagh receives the ball from Hayles who plays in Myrie-Williams down the inside right channel, but the winger's shot is a foot high and wide.

18: Hughes draws a comfortable save from Higgs from the left corner of his penalty area.

24: Cheltenham put together a tidy attacking move. Gallinagh finds Hayles on the edge of the area, and the former Fulham man helps it on into the path of Vincent who is denied by a smart stop by veteran goalkeeper Mark Crossley.

27: Hazell has a tug at Hayles and hands Cheltenham a chance from a 20-yard free-kick. Alex Russell blasts it into the wall, before meekly shooting at Crossley with the second chance.

29: Hughes picks Townsend's pocket inside his own penalty area and looks set to make the breakthrough but the centre half recovers well to get a vital touch to deflect the striker's shot over for a corner which the home side eventually waste.

33: Lomax and Vincent collide inside the Oldham area after another good counter-attacking move down the right, but the referee is not impressed by the winger's penalty appeal. Oldham send it down the other end but Hughes places the ball wide from 16 yards.

35: Another Cheltenham break, this time down the left but Vincent elects to shoot early with his right foot and Crossley comfortably gathers.

39: Oldham go close to taking the lead six minutes before the break. Andy Liddell delivers a wicked cross from the right which Cheltenham fail to clear. Hughes has a couple of chances to force the ball home from four yards but he strikes the upright with his first before Alan Wright deals with the second. Hughes heads against the bar a moment later but he is ruled to have infringed Duff in the process.

45 GOAL: Lee Hughes claims the first goal of the afternoon on the stroke of half time. The ball is sent up the right from defence but Duff slips at the vital moment, allowing Alessandra to lift the ball over the defence for Hughes to run onto. With all the time in the world, the striker smashes the ball past Higgs from 12 yards.

HALF TIME: Oldham Athletic 1, Cheltenham 0

50 GOAL: Oldham double their advantage five minutes after the re-start. Cheltenham fail to prevent Lomax aiming a ball to the far post from the left touchline. Liddell collects it, makes the byline before cutting back to Hughes who does the rest from close-range for his second of the game.

55: Robins boss Keith Downing reacts to the situation by withdrawing the defensively-minded Gallinagh and sending on Paul Connor to join Hayles in attack, reducing the midfield to four.

56: Alessandra is denied by a decent block by Higgs. Cheltenham are under siege and Liddell eventually tries his luck from 20 yards, although his effort flies well over.

58: Myrie-Williams misses a great chance to halve the deficit. Wright picks out Connor in the area, who doesn't make a clean connection with the ball but the winger bursts into the penalty area, drags the ball past his marker to leave him one-on-one with Crossley. His shot through is straight at the Oldham number one and it is cleared to safety.

62 GOAL: Hughes bags his hatrick. Oldham expose the extra space in midfield to attack down the Cheltenham left. Eardley pilots a cross from the touchline and Hughes meets it with a powerful header to claim the match ball.

70: Andy Lindegaard replaces Ashley Vincent and goes to right midfield, while Myrie-Williams goes to the left.

71: Myrie-Williams long-ranger calls Crossley into a sharp block.

85: Danny Whitaker makes it 4-0. Chris Taylor caps an impressive performance with the cross from the left, substitute Chris O'Grady picks it up on the edge of the penalty area and tees up Whitaker, who places the ball inside the right post from 18 yards.

86: Downing makes his final switch, replacing Hayles with Aaron Ledgister.

OLDHAM ATHLETIC (4-4-2): Crossley; Eardley, Hazell, Gregan (c), Lomax; Liddell Smalley 72), Allott, Whitaker, Taylor; Alessandra, Hughes (O'Grady 72). Subs not used: Fleming, Stam, Maher.

CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-5-1): Higgs; J.Gill, Townsend, Duff, Wright; Vincent (Lindegaard 70), Sinclair, Gallinagh (Connor 55), Russell, Myrie-Williams; Hayles (Ledgister 86). Subs not used: S.P.Brown (Gk), Ridley.

REFEREE: Mr A Haines (Tyne and Wear)

ATTENDANCE: 4,673 (159 from Cheltenham)