John Ward rung the changes at Boundary Park as he went in search of the away win that had eluded the Cumbrians since October last year.
Scott Dobie made his 200th career League start, at the expense of Danny Graham, with Luke Joyce making his first start of the season in a midfield that had a much more compact feel about it. Simon Hackney slipped on to the bench to accommodate the changes.
A packed midfield made it a slow start to the game, with early injuries not helping the flow.
Lee Hughes was substituted with just 12 minutes on the clock, and the closest it came to sparking in to life was when Oldham kept the ball and got down the wing. Eardley crossed it towards the near post, and Murphy had to be on his toes to get it behind for the corner and prevent Alessandra from getting a touch.
The Cumbrians were punished in the 21st minute, though, when they gave the ball away in their own half, allowing Alessandra to creep forward. He bided his time and picked out McDonald on the edge of the area. His instinctive cross / shot deflected off Aranalde and left Westwood with no chance as it dropped over him and in to the back of his net.
Jeff Smith found himself in a decent area on 23 minutes when he took a neat touch and left Stam for dead. Breaking in to the box he tried to pull it back, but it screwed off his boot and flew over the bar, with Dobie and Garner frustrated spectators.
Scott Dobie had a brief sight of goal in the 29th minute when Aranalde sent a high free kick in to the penalty area. Eardley got a half clearance on it, and Murphy was there to scoop it back towards the centre. Dobie showed first, but his turn and shot was easy for Crossley, who gathered low to the ground.
Oldham were showing nothing much of note up front but they nearly scored again on 33 minutes when McDonald sprayed the ball wide to Allott. He looked up, picked his spot and went for it with a thundering drive that curled just wide of the target. Westwood kept his eye on it, but looked comfortable as it zipped past his upright.
The Latics were strong in the tackle, particularly in midfield, and a Taylor tackle on Raven in the 42nd minute was typical of the first half. He came away with it, kept going and shot early, but Murphy got in the way and put it behind for the corner.
Hesitation in defence, as Oldham kept the ball from the set piece, proved to be costly as Smalley and Eardley caused havoc down the Carlisle left. McDonald was waiting in the box, and he made no mistake as the ball came in, powering his header beyond Westwood and in to the back of the net.
The home side almost made it 3-0 in time added on when Eardley whisked a wonderful free kick in to the melee, and Hazell stood strong to make it his own. A decent connection had the fans on their feet, but it rose too much and arrowed millimetres over the bar.
Half Time: Oldham 2 - 0 United
United made two immediate changes after the break, bringing Hackney and Graham on for Joyce and Smith respectively, and the left winger had an immediate impact with a forceful run down the left wing. It brought a corner, and Bridge-Wilkinson eventually delivered that, inviting Garner to react. He got there, but he was off balance and he pulled his shot over the bar.
It was a much more open game all of a sudden, and Dobie was unlucky in the 54th minute when Aranalde flung a long throw in to the box. Garner flicked it, but it wouldn't settle for his strike partner and Lomax got himself in the way just in time.
Alessandra was a threat, and he used it wisely on 56 minutes when he carried it forward. Taylor was in support, but there was no-one there to greet his low cross, and it spun across the front of goal and away to safety.
Taylor had sighters from distance, as did Danny Graham at the other end, with both teams working hard as they tried to create an opening, and McDonald went close to notching an impressive hat-trick when he steamed through the middle and picked up the ball. With just Westwood in the way he aimed for the bottom corner, but got his bearings wrong and slid it wide of the upright.
The game fell flat for long periods, with possession handed from side to side and little happening in front of goal, and it took a moment of skill from Alessandra in the 84th minute to brighten things up as he beat two before shooting from distance. Westwood got on to it and showed good hands as he plucked it out of the air.
Taylor used his pace to get away in the 86th minute and, after his initial cross was blocked, he pounced to curl it towards the top corner, bringing a top quality save from the Carlisle stopper.
The Latics finished strongly, and another decent cross from Eardley found Stam in acres of space, but he mistimed his header and put it over the bar. Eardley then tried one himself, whistling a wicked 23-yarder inches wide, and Alessandra was next to go close when he took advantage of a weak Murphy back header to get in to the box. Raven provided cover, doing enough to put him off and earn the goal kick.
The very impressive Chris Taylor had the last shot of the evening, but he wasn't too disappointed at the outcome as the Referee blew the whistle on a rare home win, whilst the Cumbrians were left to ponder their fifth successive away League defeat.
Goals
Oldham - McDonald (21, 44)
Bookings
Oldham - Hazell (45)
United - Lumsdon (41)
Teams
Oldham: Crossley, Eardley, Stam, Hazell, Lomax, Jarrett (Kalala 90), McDonald, Allott, Taylor, Hughes (Alessandra 12), Smalley. Subs - Pogliacomi, Wolfenden, Black.
United: Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Aranalde, Joyce (Hackney 46), Lumsdon, Bridge-Wilkinson, Smith (Graham 46), Dobie (Carlton 68), Garner. Subs - Howarth, Arnison.
Away fans - 874
