Sheffield Wednesday hero Shefki Kuqi was controversially sent off after scoring two goals for Chris Turner's side and was followed by Oldham's Danny Hall.
The Finland international was given a second booking for diving eight minutes from the end and red carded by referee Richard Beeby.
And then seconds from the final whistle Hall was shown a straight red card for retaliating to a challenge by Derek Geary.
Kuqi had put Wednesday in the driving seat with two goals after ex-Hillsborough favourite John Sheridan came back to haunt them.
Oldham's 38-year-old youth coach should have been in Carlisle helping the club's youngsters., instead the veteran midfielder gave Oldham the lead with a penalty in front of the Kop that once worshipped the scorer of Wednesday's 1991 League Cup final winner over Manchester United.
Sheridan's cool spot kick came after Dean Smith stretched and tripped Mickael Antoine-Curier in the box.
Then Kuqi's claimed his first after 25 minutes when he out muscled Will Haining in a race for a long clearance from keeper Ola Tidman and drilled in an angled effort.
His second came when he charged in front of the keeper to glance in Alan Quinn's cross after 52 minutes.
But two minutes later Antoine-Curier smashed in a stunning volley from 12 yards after John Eyre headed down.
And when Kuqi tumbled in the box after 82 minutes he was shown the yellow card followed by a red.
Oldham forced Wednesday onto the back foot hunting for the win but in the dying seconds they were hampered by the second red card of the game.
Hall appeared to react to a tackle from Geary and was shown the red card.
The referee went off with a chorus of "you're not fit to referee " from the 24,630 crowd.