Kevin Betsy came back to haunt former club Hartlepool as Oldham continued their move up the Coca-Cola League One table.
Betsy recently spent a month on loan at Hartlepool but turned down a permanent contract after Latics manager Brain Talbot stepped in with an offer of his own and the speedy winger hit a superb goal on his debut for Oldham, capping a display that earned him the man of the match award.
With Betsy slotting in to the team down the right after Oldham were forced to leave Jamaican international Jermaine Johnson on the bench with jet-lag, the home team's forward line clicked sweetly into place.
They had too much firepower for Hartlepool who were well below their best despite including new signings Martin Woods and Alan Pouton in midfield. Oldham went close after ten minutes through Mark Bonner and striker Chris Killen also threatened the visitors goal before Oldham went in front two minutes before half time.
John Eyre chased a long ball and shrugged off marker Michael Nelson before slotting his shot in to the bottom corner from ten yards out with the outside of his right foot.
Veteran David Eyres almost doubled the lead less than a minute after half time when his downward header came back off the crossbar and he was unlucky again with another header, when he hit a post from Betsy's cross.
Oldham were not to be denied and Betsy unleashed an unstoppable shot from near the corner of the 18-yard box to give Hartlepool keeper Jim Provett no chance.
Hartlepool hit back with a long-range goal from defender Chris Westwood whose drive from fully 30 yards found its way through Oldham's defence and beat Les Pogliacomi in the bottom left-hand corner.
But Oldham made the points save three minutes later when Johnson, who had come off the bench, picked up Betsy's pass and fired inside the far post from 12 yards.
Hartlepool grabbed some scant consolation in injury time thanks to home defender Adam Griffin who headed a cross past his own keeper from ten yards.