Oldham boss Dave Penney defended a contentious second-half substitution after watching his side collect a second win from three games.

Penney's decision to withdraw Dean Furman for Danny Whitaker midway through the second period saw the crowd shout: 'You don't know what you're doing' at the Oldham boss.

"I don't give a monkeys," said Penney. "We needed a goal and Danny is going to get us a goal from midfield.

"I said to Dean it wasn't a slight on his performance but Danny has got a record of scoring goals from midfield and we needed one."

Pawel Abbott's second-half header handed Athletic a vital three points in their bid to climb away from the bottom four.

The forward struck his ninth goal of the season with just 12 minutes left, heading Chris Taylor's cross beyond the on-rushing Clayton Ince.

It eased some of the pressure on Penney who had been jeered by his own fans 10 minutes earlier, following Whitaker's entry.

Ironically, the Latics had produced one of their better home displays of the season with Joe Jacobson and Chris Taylor especially effective down the left-hand side.

However, it was their season-long failing in front of goal which had threatened to make it a difficult afternoon.

Ince had done his best to keep the Saddlers in the game as he denied Abbott, Furman and Jason Price. All three sent efforts straight at the keeper, although it could be argued that Ince's positional sense ensured he was in the right place at the right time.

In contrast, Walsall had offered little to test Dean Brill, bar an early header from skipper Dwayne Mattis. Nevertheless, the Oldham keeper was lucky not to see red late on for a two-footed tackle on Darren Byfield after losing possession.

OLDHAM: Brill 7, Goodwin 7, Hazell 7, Gregan 7, Jacobson 8, Smalley 6 (Colbeck 90, 6), Furman 6 (Whitaker 69, 6), Stephens 6, Taylor 7, Abbott 7, Price 7

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