IN-FORM Oldham made it three wins in a row to tuck themselves neatly into second place in the table.

And delighted boss Iain Dowie said: "We may be a long way off our goal of promotion but we are definitely on the right road."

He was the first to admit that the Latics didn't have it all their own way in this one - far from it. They had to dig deep and grind out a result against a side which eventually cut its own throat.

City went down to 10 men when skipper Tom Doherty was sent off for a second bookable offence on the hour and with it went the chance of a draw they had clearly planned for.

It left them with a mountain to climb - boss Danny Wilson's own words - and Oldham made the extra man count just ten minutes later. Veteran David Eyres created the opening for hotshot Clyde Wijnhard who side-footed the ball into the net from six yards out.

Lethal

It was the Dutchman's seventh goal in as many games to make him the the second's division's most lethal finisher.

Wijnhard put a career-best four past Mansfield on Saturday in a 6-1 rout but Dowie insisted: "Without being churlish I was more pleased with the three points from this game.

"We showed a steely determination not to be beaten and the lads really believe in themselves.

"Things didn't always go our way and they were disappointed about certain aspects - but that just shows how passionate they are."

The Latics had a couple of frights in injury time as the visitors launched a last-bid comeback. But substiute Lee Duxbury came to the rescue with a brilliantly timed tackle in the box and keeper Les Pogliacomi made a superb diving save to keep a clean sheet for the fifth time in nine games.

Oldham have now grabbed 13 goals in their last four league and cup games and Dowie added: "Any side which scores at that rate is going to win."