Ratings: Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Oldham Athletic

Bolton Wanderers made it three wins from three games in all competitions by expertly swatting away local relegation minnows Oldham Athletic in a comfortable 2-0 victory.

My ratings are as follows:

Mark Howard - 7

A quiet game, given that they barely attacked, but made a crucial one-on-one save at 1-0 that allowed us breathing space going forward.

Lawrie Wilson - 6

He's not particularly good at anything in particular, but he's a better right back than Josh Vela or Lewis Buxton. Guilty of the worst pass I've seen at the Reebok since 1998.

Andrew Taylor - 6

Similar to Wilson, in that he's not exactly Roberto Carlos but then again he's not Dean Moxey either, and that's good enough for me.

David Wheater - 7

A return to form for a player who has been shaky lately. He swept up most of what little Oldham presented to him and might, on another day, have scored with a header in the first half. Needs to offer more at set pieces, because he's got the power.

Mark Beevers - 8

A superb performance. When fully fit he's perhaps the best centre half in the whole division. If I was on the MOTM piece he'd be the likely winner. Was dominant in the air and confident in the tackle - fantastic.

Jay Spearing - 7.5

Another return to form - the former Liverpool man had time on the ball and used it wisely throughout. Another plus is that he didn't get booked.

Tom Thorpe - 6.5

Perhaps our best player in the first half, Thorpe was everywhere breaking up Oldham attacks and distributing the ball simply, but effectively. He faded a bit in the second half but this was definitely his best game for the club.

Josh Vela - 6

I hate to say it, because I do like the lad, but he's not really justifying his selection at the moment. Playing, for the first time...I think, at the tip of the midfield diamond, he doesn't have the pace or the creativity to make it his own, and his game suffered as a result. He's quite possibly the slowest football I've ever seen.

Sammy Ameobi - 7

Another, along with Thorpe, who easily had his best game for the club. Managing to blow away the asthma rumours (hi Liam) with an energetic performance on the right he was keen to attack and put in the hard yards defensively with equal aplomb. Should've scored, mind.

Zach Clough - 7

Was excellent in the first half but faded somewhat in the second. Took his two goals with great style and it comes as a huge reassurance to all that he's found his goalscoring touch because he is without doubt or most important attacker.

Gary Madine - 5

Madine tries. I get that. He's just not very good. He won - and I counted - three of his eleven aerial duels with the Oldham defence. Of these three precisely none went to white shirts. He spent a good amount of time being outmuscled and outfought, and I also think that he recorded precisely zero shots on target. Not good enough, again.

Subs

Derik Osede - n/a

Only touched the ball twice, but his return to the team was a welcome sight to see.

James Henry - n/a

Barely involved.

Jamie Proctor - 4

Appalling. Quite how you come on at 1-0, soon to be 2-0, and actually make our attacking play worse is a miracle feat to me. Yet again he hugged the left touchline for the majority, but when he ventured infield he was lethargic, sloppy and wholly ineffectual. From a promising pre-season he has quickly become a real hindrance to our attacking play. There was one moment where he took the ball in advance of the defender, managed to turn away from goal and then lose the ball 10 yards back from where he started. Dire.