Manager Greg Abbott was forced to make two changes to the side that opened the season on Saturday with striker Scott Dobie making his first start and midfielder Marc Bridge-Wilkinson slotting into a familiar role just behind the front man.

Cleveland Taylor was absent as he held talks with Brentford over a potential move to join the Bees, and captain Paul Thirlwell was rested having taken a weekend knock to the calf. 

Lenny Pidgeley did well to get to a Whitaker cross on 7 minutes when he forced his way in front of Byfield to punch the ball away. O'Grady tried to take it under control but it bounced awkwardly and United were able to clear.

Chris O'Grady spun and shot on the turn from 20-yards from a Whitaker throw in on 11 minutes as the game struggled to kick into gear, but good work from Bridge-Wilkinson released Robson as Carlisle finally got forward in the 13th minute. The cross was a good one but Dobie put his header right at Dean Brill in the Latics goal.

Bridge-Wilkinson thumped a shot wide as United stayed forward, and he went close again on 20 minutes when he met a low cross from Robson at the front post. Unfortunately for Carlisle he got too much on it and it thundered into the advertising hoardings.

Joe Anyinsah nodded wide from a deep Ian Harte free kick as the Cumbrians tried to impose themselves on the game, but the midfield ranks closed as both sides cancelled each other out.

But Richard Keogh rattled the woodwork in the 33rd minute with a diving header as he muscled his way on to a curling delivery into the box.

That was the last real opportunity of the first half with everything to play for after the break.

Half Time: United 0 - 0 Oldham

Carlisle started the second half brightly and Graham Kavanagh unleashed a wonderful shot on 53 minutes from 24-yards that had Brill beaten. Sean Gregan threw himself in the way to prevent waht would have been a certain goal.

Danny Livesey nodded a Robson corner wide on 57 minutes when he stole a yard at the far post, and substitute Pawel Abbott blazed over the bar as chances remained few and far between.

Scott Dobie got the ball stuck under his feet when he tried to cut a Kavanagh free kick back across, and Bridge-Wilkinson skied a shot into the stands when he went clean through with just the 'keeper to beat.

Chris Taylor registered Oldham's first shot on target in the 82nd minute when he wormed his way into the area, but Pidgeley was equal to it as he beat it away with the palms of his hands.

Joe Anyinsah scuffed a right foot shot across the face of goal following good work from Taiwo and Raven as the pace of the game livened up in the closing stages, and Scott Dobie made it just desserts for United when he crunched a David Raven cross into the back of the net from close range with a thunderbolt of a header.

Goals

United - Dobie (88)

Bookings

United - Kavanagh (59)

Oldham - O'Grady (75)

Teams 

United: Pidgeley, Raven, Livesey, Keogh, Harte, Anyinsah, Taiwo, Kavanagh, Bridge-Wilkinson (Madine 79), Robson (Rothery 80), Dobie - Subs (not used): Collin, Kane, Horwood, Burns, Murphy.

Oldham: Brill, Worthington, Holdsworth, Hazell, Whitaker, O'Grady (Parker 64), Furman, Gregan, Taylor (Alessandra 90), Gilbert, Byfield (Abbott 64). Subs (not used) - Lomax, Lee, Stephens, Kazimierczak.

Away fans - 251