Oldham performed with enormous credit in their FA Cup fifth round clash with Everton and the tie is not over just yet ahead of the replay.
An injury time Matt Smith equaliser earned the Latics a deserved return to Goodison Park and, while the Premier League side showed the greater quality in the 2-2 draw ten days ago, Oldham have nothing to fear on Tuesday.
The League One underdogs had taken an early lead through Jordan Obita while they were certainly the better side in round four when Liverpool were overwhelmed at Boundary Park.
The 3-1 win over the Reds was no fluke and having watched a fair bit of domestic cup action this season, perhaps the gap between the haves and the have-nots is not quite as pronounced as many would have you believe.
Smith, a two-gaol hero against Brendan Rodgers’ side, is sure to be a handful once more and Oldham’s league form has improved of late, too.
It is three wins on the bounce in the English third-tier and Oldham’s record on the road this term is respectable, winning as many times on their travels, five, as when hosting in League Two.
David Moyes’ side know that the FA Cup represents a genuine chance of silverware in 2013, with Wigan potential quarter-final visitors, and while I certainly expect them to advance, the odds perhaps overestimate the ease in which they might do so.
No bigger than around 1.17 to win inside 90 minutes, Everton don’t usually blow teams away at Goodison Park and Oldham might just be able to frustrate them for longer enough to represent value on the Asian handicaps.
I was very keen on Everton’s chances at out-of-form Norwich on Saturday but the Toffees threw away three points when conceding twice late on and it is now no wins in four, conceding nine goals in that time.
Of course Oldham represent a significant drop in class but it is just one clean sheet in 12 matches on Merseyside and the away side look decent enough value to me at odds against receiving a two goal head start.
2pts Back Oldham (+2, vs. Everton) @ 2.10 (Paddy Power)