PAUL Cook scored a brace on his Avon Insurance Premier Division debut as a strong Burnley side recorded a comfortable win at Oldham Athletic.

Reserve manager Ronnie Jepson had a wealth of talent at his disposal with a back line of Mark McGregor, Mitchell Thomas, Gordon Armstrong and Graham Branch.

And £1m striker Robbie Blake made his first start in a claret and blue shirt, linking up with Tony Ellis up front.

Oldham had a mixture of youth and experience in their line up with Gary Kelly in goal and the nippy Cristian Colusso, a recent signing from Argentina, causing havoc in midfield.

But it was the Clarets who had the early chances, Branch's 18 yard effort being tipped round Kelly's post and then the Latics shot-stopper denied Ellis with his legs on ten minutes.

It was midfielder Cook - who hadn't played in a reserve game in his four years at Turf Moor - who made the breakthrough, Blake finding him on the edge of the area and he fired low down the middle of Kelly's goal on 12 minutes.

Oldham then lost the services of the Manchester United youngster, right back Steve Clegg, with an injury but Dean Holden had the next effort for the Latics, his long range effort being saved by Luigi Cennamo.

Danny Boshell then played a great cross in which just evaded the head of the lively Scott Vernon.

Blake, who has been used as a substitute in his four games for the Clarets first team, came close to scoring his first Burnley goal on 35 minutes.

Cook played a great ball through from midfield to the former Bradford man on the edge of the area.

He beat Stuart Balmer and fired in a shot which came off the underside of the crossbar and bounced to safety.

But one minute later, Cook made it two, his 18 yard shot was deflected off Balmer and sneaked into the right hand corner of Kelly's goal.

There was a moment of controversy when Holden said Ellis had elbowed him in the face in an off-the-ball incident but the referee showed both yellow and Thomas later went into the book for a foul.

Brad Maylett had a good game on the right wing, causing the Oldham backline a number of problems, but it was Oldham who got the ball into the back of the net on the stroke of half time although Vernon's 'goal' was ruled out for pushing on Branch.

Oldham had the early chances after the interval, the best coming from Colusso who turned and shot in the area but his effort was just wide.

Cook then belted a shot goalwards from the edge of the area as he looked for his hat-trick but that was blocked while Cennamo had to finger tip wide a stunning effort from John Eyre.

Mark Rasmussen came on to replace Blake after 68 minutes and Maylett was pushed up front with Ellis for the final 20 minutes.

But they couldn't find another way through the Oldham defence and Ellis was then substituted five minutes from time after feeling the effects of a hard tackle by Holden.

Oldham finally got on the scoresheet with the final kick of the game, Lee Hardy's corner was flicked into the top corner of the net by Vernon.

CLARETS: Cennamo, McGregor, Branch, Armstrong, Thomas, Pilkington, Maylett, Cook, Ellis (O'Neill 85), Blake (Rasmussen 68), Waine. Subs not used: Davis, Salisbury, Leeson, Scott.

OLDHAM...1 BURNLEY...2