Oldham edged out League Two rivals Tranmere 4-3 on penalties following a thrilling Carabao Cup first-round tie at Boundary Park.

The game finished 2-2 after 90 minutes before Oldham keeper Danny Rogers saved penalties from Paul Glatzel and Peter Clarke in the dramatic shoot-out.

With boss Keith Curle absent after testing positive for Covid-19 earlier in the day, Oldham started brightly under the guidance of Colin West.

Jamie Bowden fired a low drive narrowly wide, then skipper Carl Piergianni’s thumping header was superbly beaten away by Rovers keeper Ross Doohan.

After Dylan Bahamboula had also gone close for Oldham, it was Rovers who struck first against the run of play.

Five minutes before the break Glatzel played in Sam Foley and he tucked neatly past Rogers from 15 yards.

Rovers doubled their lead in the 51st minute when Josh Dacres-Cogley crossed for Elliot Nevitt, and he smashed into the roof of the net from close range.

Bowden then teed up Bahamboula to halve Oldham’s deficit from the tightest of angles, before the scores were levelled when Rovers defender Tom Davies could only head substitute Nicky Adams’ cross into his own net.

Oldham’s Davis Keillor-Dunn headed against the post in the 82nd minute, but neither side could find a decisive strike late on and the tie was settled by penalties.