Oldham give strong account despite 2-0 defeat at Stoke
Oldham Athletic travelled to the bet365 Stadium for the opening round of the EFL Cup and left with plenty of credit despite a 2-0 defeat to Championship opponents Stoke City. The tie was settled by an unfortunate own goal from summer signing Oli Norburn and a late strike from Robert Bozenik as Stoke secured progress to the next round.
Stoke continued their promising pre-season form under Mark Robins, having drawn with Crewe and Villarreal and beaten Premier League Everton earlier in their warm-up campaign. Robins was able to introduce three of his summer signings in midfield and defence, and Stoke took control in the second half after a competitive opening 45 minutes.
- Score: Stoke City 2–0 Oldham Athletic
- Key moments: Oli Norburn own goal (three minutes after the restart); Robert Bozenik finish (eight minutes from time)
- Competition: EFL Cup, First Round
Oldham, under manager Micky Mellon, gave their Championship hosts a difficult task, particularly in the first period. Neither side found the net in the opening 45 minutes, but chances came at both ends. Stoke striker Sam Gallagher tested Oldham keeper Matt Hudson on several occasions, including a save on 15 minutes and a headed effort that narrowly missed four minutes before half-time.
Oldham carried threat in attack too. Calum Kavanagh caused problems for the Stoke defence and created opportunities for team-mate Mike Fondop, who twice saw efforts denied by Viktor Johansson. Fondop later returned the favour when he set up a chance for Kavanagh shortly before half-time, only for the forward to fire straight at the Stoke goalkeeper.
"We’ve shown enough to be optimistically excited… We did ourselves justice against a team that has been unbelievably heavily invested in,"
The breakthrough came three minutes after the restart when a Sorba Thomas corner was turned in by Oldham summer signing Oli Norburn while attempting a header clearance. Stoke then controlled the latter stages and sealed the win when Bae Jun-Ho fed Bozenik, who finished from 14 yards into the bottom right corner.
Robins reflected on the tie, praising the work done by his side and acknowledging the difficulty presented by lower-division opposition. He said the goal owed something to fortune but highlighted the delivery from Sorba Thomas and the competitive nature of the match. His side fielded new signings Svante Ingelsson, Ethan Galbraith (a £10m arrival referenced in pre-match coverage) and Luke Graham, who gave a solid account in midfield and defence respectively.
Micky Mellon was upbeat about his players' display despite the loss. He said the team had shown encouraging signs and that there were qualities to build on ahead of the League Two campaign. For Oldham fans, the performance will offer reassurance that the squad can compete against higher-ranked opposition when tactics and finishing click.
| Minute | Event | Scorer / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 48' | Goal (own) | Oli Norburn (Oldham) — turned in Sorba Thomas corner |
| 82' | Goal | Robert Bozenik (Stoke) — finished from 14 yards |
Looking ahead, Oldham return to League Two duties with evidence they can set up and compete against teams from higher divisions. For a club still building post-summer signings and adjustments, the narrow defeat at Stoke underlines both the progress made and areas requiring fine margins.
Fans can draw encouragement from the defensive organisation and attacking intention shown in Staffordshire, while the management team will take lessons on composure in key moments as they prepare for the league season.
