EXETER CITY 0, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1

A goal five minutes from time was rough justice for City after they had put their illus trious Premier League opponents on the rack for long periods of this Coca-Cola Cup tie.

City, without injured strikers Ronnie Jepson and Steve Moran, created several opening with the right-wing pairing of Scott Hiley and John Hodge continually causing Neil Poynton and his defensive partners anxious moments.

It was Hodge that supplied the cross for Mark Loram to head narrowly wide of the near post and it was Loram who just failed to connect with the ball after Hodge had flicked on Hiley's astute cross.

Andy Harris fire a 25-yard free-kick just wide before Eamonn Dolan rounded Latics goal keeper, John Hallworth, but his cross just evaded Loram.

Peter Whiston then sent Hodge scurrying through and his cross was met by Dolan but lan Marshall somehow blocked his goal bound shot with Hallworth beaten.

But all this counted for nothing when Steve Redmond released lan Olney down the right and his early cross found Nick Henry free at the far post to shoot past Miller and give Oldham a 1-0 lead to take into the second leg at boundary Park on Wednesday, October 7th.