THE Shrimps suffered a third defeat in seven days as Dino Maamria started his reign as Oldham boss with a 3-1 win at Boundary Park.

Shrimps’ boss Jim Bentley made two changes to the side that lost to Walsall with Rhys Oates and Cole Stockton coming back in the side in place of Kevin Ellison and Shaun Miller.

Oldham started the game brightly with former Shrimps’ defender Zak Mills, returning to the Oldham starting line up, having an early effort on goal with a left foot shot straight at Barry Roche after a neat move.

The pressure continued as Filipe Morais raced down the right-wing before crossing onto the head of Christopher Missilou, but he couldn’t keep his header down.

At the other end, John O’Sullivan was gifted a free header inside the penalty area from an Andrew Tutte corner, but he couldn’t place his attempt on target.

Mills drove at the visitors’ defence and slotted Maouche past the defence and his strike was saved by the goalkeeper.

In the 33rd minute Latics took the lead through Mohammed Maouche. Johan Branger-Engone found Mills on the right with a free-kick and the right-back delivered into the box and it was met by Maouche and his header found the back of the net.

After the restart, Latics doubled their lead when Mills again provided the killer ball with a pinpoint cross which landed at the feet of Desire Segbe Azankpo and he kept composed to place it into the top corner.

Morecambe then began to enjoy a period on top as they looked to get back into the game.

George Tanner drilled a low shot wide of the right hand post and Aaron Wildig tried his luck from outside the box for the Shrimps, but it was comfortably caught by Zeus de la Paz.

Maouche nearly got his second of the game in the 66th minute as he dribbled past a Morecambe defender before unleashing his strike, but Roche just about kept it out.

With 77 minutes on the clock, Morecambe pulled a goal back after A-Jay Leitch-Smith turned superbly in the box and produced a low cross across the box and it found Shaun Miller who slotted the ball home to cause the home fans some nervous moments.

Unfortunately, the comeback hopes were dashed when Jonny Smith sealed all three points for Oldham in the 89th minute as he was played through on goal by Branger-Engone and the winger smashed it past Roche into the bottom corner.

Oldham Athletic: de la Paz, Mills, Hamer, Wheater, Iacovitti, Sylla, Missilou, Branger-Engone, Morais (rep Smith 70), Maouche, Azankpo.

Subs not used: Zabret, Sefil, Stott, Eagles, Smith, Wilson.

Morecambe: Roche, Buxton, Old, Lavelle, Tanner, Tutte (rep Cranston 84), Wildig, O’Sullivan, Oates (rep Leitch-Smith 45), Alessandra, Stockton (rep Miller 70).

Subs not used: Halstead, Bakare, Kenyon, Ellison.