With Jamie Clarey, Kyle Dempsey, Dan Jones, Jack Lynch, Brad Potts and Josh Todd all out injured with pre-season injuries it meant that Blues boss Eric Kinder gave a debut to new centre-forward signing Alex Salmon, as well as naming two local under-16s players on the bench in goalkeeper Jack Boyd and striker Patrick Brough on the opening day of the 2011-12 youth league campaign.
Things soon got even worse for the Cumbrians though, despite Dave Symington early on hitting the Latics crossbar with a direct free-kick and having a shot from distance well saved by Oldham goalkeeper Luke Simpson. It was the home side quickly getting the opening goal of the game however when United stopper Jordan Parker misjudged a long ball over the top, which allowed Jack Laird through the middle to lob home into the Carlisle net.
It then became 2-0 after 20 minutes when Laird, on the back of a Ryan Burns pass to him, turned excellently on the edge of the United box before curling a left-footed effort low into the far corner of the Blues net. Shortly afterwards and it was then 3-0 to Oldham when Chris Sutherland fired home well, before Burns then added the fourth after 34 minutes with a tremendous 25-yard left-footed drive high into the top corner of Parker's goal.
Laird, Kyle Riley and Danny Gossett also having shots stopped by Parker before the break to mean that the Cumbrians limped into the interval staring at a 4-0 defecit. Laird was then dismissed shortly after the restart for violent conduct but despite the home side being down to ten men for almost the whole of the second-half the Blues couldn't even find a consolation goal as both Will James and Mark Beck both headed over the top with Carlisle's best chances.
United line-up :
Jordan Parker, Lance McGlen, Dale Minor (Dillon Morse 46), Brad Staunch, Will James, Adam Gill (Alex Berhan 46), Jack Lynch, Brandon Gwinnutt (Tom Berwick 60), Dave Symington, Alex Salmon, Mark Beck.
Unused substitutes :
Jack Boyd (GK) and Patrick Brough.
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Youth Team Squad : Click here
Youth Team Table : Click here