Oldham finally ended a seven-match winless run, seeing off Eastleigh 2-0 to reinforce their National League play-off hopes.
The Latics had taken just five points from the last 21 on offer but received a handy shot in the arm thanks to goals from Billy Waters and Jake Caprice.
Just eight minutes had gone when Waters opened the scoring, getting on the end of a corner he had forced and heading home. Their slender lead held until the 73rd minute, thanks in part to the Eastleigh crossbar, but Caprice’s coolly slotted through the goalkeeper’s legs to extend the home side’s advantage.
The visitors lost Nathan Tshikuna to an injury-time red card, leaving Micky Mellon’s men comfortable as they leapfrogged Gateshead in fourth.
