Oldham 1, City 2

SOMETHING was clearly afoot when City were actually drawn at home in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Ending a run of eight straight away games in the least-appealing knock-out competition was odd enough. But then a few hours later, City were celebrating victory on a ground where they never, ever seem to get anything.

The planets must have aligned for Phil Parkinson's Bantams.

It had been 18 years and seven fruitless trips – six defeats and a solitary draw – since City last emerged triumphant at Boundary Park. The 2-1 win in February 1997 was that long ago Ian Ormondroyd scored for the home side.

Parkinson, who had lost there twice last season, knew all about City's horrible history across the Pennines and had addressed it in the dressing room beforehand.

"There's a reason for that (poor run) because this is a very tough place to come," he said.

"When I played for Reading, we used to have a saying 'are we a team that can go to Boundary Park and win' because it was one of the hardest places to go.

"It's one of the highest grounds and there's just something about it. You have to have a certain mentality and approach."

Another hoodoo buried and equally that fretful opening fortnight has been condemned to the back of City minds. A haul of eight points from the first six games may not sound world-beating but it continues to head in the right direction.

Saturday's two scorers were not even in nursery school the last time City won on one of their shortest trips. But youth is quickly playing its part in this evolving side.

In Devante Cole, Parkinson has the goal-sniffing act that his team have lacked since Nahki Wells crossed the M62 divide 20 months ago.

On the ground where Wells had netted his last away goal in City colours, Cole's second in as many appearances was so reminiscent of the Bermudian.

His game had been fairly quiet up to that point, through no fault of his own. Cole had picked his runs but nobody appeared to be on the same wavelength.

But then Billy Knott, playing with far more purpose after his spell on the sidelines, surged deep into Oldham territory.

Cole cut across the centre halves with his right arm pointing exactly where he wanted the pass. Knott delivered it right on the spot and the striker did the rest from a tight angle.

It was a tricky finish he made look almost regulation. As Parkinson remarked later, there was that confidence in knowing he would not miss; a familiar warm feeling last experienced when Wells was in similar positions.

That doubled a lead given City by the unlikeliest of sources – unless you watch set-piece practice at the training ground.

Because they will tell you that Reece Burke is a busy figure when they go through free-kick routines – as it proved midway through the first half.

Josh Morris, another player really grabbing the bull by the horns on his recall, swung in a cross deep from the right.

James Hanson blocked off Joel Coleman's route to try and claim it – Oldham may have had a case for a foul – and the ball popped out to Mark Marshall.

He squared it across the box to where Burke had found a pocket of space and a neat control with his right foot and decisive stab home secured a memorable first goal in senior football.

It also justified the efforts of Parkinson, the player himself and parent club West Ham to get him out from under England under-20's roof for the afternoon.

Oldham v City match pictures

What a contrast in fortunes for City compared with their last Boundary Park visit. On that occasion, the game was effectively up inside 25 one-sided minutes with Oldham two up and cruising.

That was another point drummed in during the pre-match pep talk: Don't get caught cold again. Message received and understood, City were on Oldham's case from the start.

They got an unexpected boost when Jonathan Forte, who had tormented them last season, completely lost his head by flicking his bonce at Stephen Darby.

The City skipper, watched from the stand by girlfriend Steph Houghton, squared up to the striker, who took leave of his senses with a needless butt into the defender's face.

With their lone striker gone, Oldham reshuffled through various formations over the remaining hour to find some kind of cutting edge.

But the sight of a 'chunky' David Dunn running in treacle when he momentarily slipped through the City defence summed up the paucity of their attack.

Mark Yeates was by far Oldham's biggest threat and he looked intent on making a point to the club who let him go in the summer.

But the boos directed his way by some City fans, given that he had been desperate to stay, seemed to miss the point.

No Doubt were number one on that last winning occasion at Boundary Park and this game ought to have been well beyond any question once Cole had applied his coup de grace.

There had been other chances before then – most notably the gilt-edged one that Hanson could not finish after a peach of a cross by Morris.

Coleman did well to flick over his close-range attempt but any header downwards would have made it academic for the home stopper.

Still, Cole's goal should have killed any hint of resistance but slackness crept in and Oldham pegged one back late on.

Yeates, who had given Ben Williams his only real test up to that point with a well-struck free-kick, deserved the assist for his endeavours as Joe Mills crept up unmarked to head in his cross.

Parkinson joked that the players were "trying to turn my hair completely grey". But City – and an away end already acclaiming new hero Cole with a chant nicked from Spandau Ballet – could have done without the discomfort.

Thankfully there were no further hiccups as City avoided a Fleetwood-esque collapse from such a dominant winning position.

Now they can head to Fleetwood with successive wins under the belt and a genuine gunslinger in the ranks. Maybe not indestructible just yet, as the improvised Spandau lyric suggests, but a growing power in front of goal.

It has been a while since we could say that.

Attendance: 5,619