THE pantomime-type plot of Oldham sneaking a woman into their opening line-up has been overtaken by their version of Dad's Army.

And the lead role has fallen to Dean Windass, who is sending out his 40th birthday party invitations this week.

From hero goalkeeper last week to winning goal-scorer this, it is difficult to keep the on-loan Hull City legend out of the headlines.

And even Oldham's publicity-conscious managing director Simon Corney - who had the idea of secretly playing the world's best woman footballer Marta in a pre-season game - could not hatch Dean's scripts.

Corney plotted with a TV production company to invite Marta, named the women's world footballer of the year three years on the trot, to play for Latics in a pre-season game, disguised as a man.

They wanted to see whether the world's best female footballer could hack it in the men's game, but the idea was quashed by manager John Sheridan and chief executive Alan Hardy, who feared it would make the club a laughing stock.

Said Hardy: "There were discussions with a TV company who have done work for Channel 4, but in the end it wasn't considered appropriate."

Latics want to stick to the serious business of getting into the Championship, and it was dressing room joker Windass who secured the latest three points.

Vital

Defender Reuben Hazell, who headed in the vital early first goal, revealed that Windass's contribution top Latics' push for the Championship, runs far deeper than his subtle on-field contributions.

"Deano is an experienced player who has played in the Premiership, and he is a clever player," said Hazell, who last week signed a deal to keep him at Boundary Park until 2011.

"It's fair to say his days of hareing around are long gone, but he is still a quality player."

That mixture of youth and experience has engendered a real feeling that Latics could finally pull it off this season, especially if rivals keep slipping up.

"Everyone in the dressing room has the feeling that we can do something," said Hazell.

Hazell got on the end of Kevin Maher's eighth minute free-kick to place a header into the corner of the Cobblers' net - an important breakthrough for a team which had gone three matches without a goal.

But Windass, inevitably, stole the show with the second goal, a thumping header from Maher's corner. He whipped off his shirt to reveal a T-shirt celebrating his 200th League goal, and even a Northampton strike from Bayo Akinfenwa seven minutes later could not disturb Latics' cruise.

On-loan Hartlepool goalkeeper Jan Budtz, who made his name with two penalty saves against City in a League Cup shoot-out in 2005, had little to do. Just as well. The 6ft 4ins Dane had been on the Hartlepool team coach heading for Milton Keynes on Friday when the deal taking him to Oldham was done.

The coach dropped him at a service station, and Oldham sent a driver to pick him up, with the formalities not completed until just hours before kick-off.

OLDHAM: Budtz 5, Hines 6, Golbourne 6, Hazell 7, Gregan 7, Eardley 5, Allott 6, Maher 7 (Liddell 89), Windass 7 (Whitaker 76), Smalley 7, Hughes 7

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