Football: Oldham are kept at bay: COCA-COLA CUP: Gerrard holds off Gunners - Middlesbrough undone

Oldham Athletic 0 Arsenal 0 Arsenal survived the scares that come with the territory at Boundary Park and just about composed themselves sufficiently to take Oldham Athletic back to Highbury for a Coca Cola Cup third-round replay.

Joe Royal's team, who swept Arsenal aside on their way to the final of this competition five seasons ago, raised the spectre again with a lusty, rousing first-half performance that ought to have produced a breakthrough.

Nicky Banger, the on-loan striker considering a permanent move from Southampton to Oldham, suggested he would be a snip at pounds 300,000. His impish turns and foraging runs constantly destabilised Arsenal's defence - Tony Adams enduring a particularly chastening experience.

Even towards the end, when Arsenal had regrouped, Banger might have won it for Oldham, his well-controlled volley bringing a lunging save from David Seaman. The senior England player was distinctly the busier of the goalkeepers, stretching to turn away Rick Holden's dipping shot in the eighth minute and bracing himself for the inevitable bombardment.

Arsenal, deprived of Ian Wright's scoring craft, relied on Alan Smith as their sole out-and-out striker, with Paul Merson and Kevin Campbell endeavouring to lend support. Oldham simply ripped up the plan. George Graham's heavily manned midfield was unable to contain the First Division's side's enthusiasm.

The match had run a quarter of its course before Arsenal mustered a move worthy of their status. Merson's raking, diagonal pass opened up Oldham's left flank, Ray Parlour took the ball in his stride and Paul Gerrard beat away the rising shot.

Oldham countered with typical zeal and menace. Banger surged into the area from the right, Seaman could only parry his cross shot and Lee Dixon hastily cleared as Holden closed in for the rebound.

Graham, relieved to escape the 45 minutes unscathed, gave his charges some 'straight talking' during the break. Stefan Schwarz answered the call with a 25-yard left-foot shot which Gerrard was content to fend off. Campbell might have scored, but so might Oldham in a late rally. Arsenal were not about to complain with parity.

Oldham Athletic (4-4-2): Gerrard; Halle, Jobson, Redmond, Pointon; Bernard, Graham, Henry, Holden; Banger, McCarthy. Substitutes not used: Eyre, Brennan, Hallworth (gk).

Arsenal (4-5-1): Seaman; Dixon (Keown, 35), Adams, Bould, Winterburn; Parlour, Selley, Merson, Schwarz, Campbell (McGoldrick, 86); Smith.

Substitute not used: Bartram (gk).

Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).