Report by SJG

CHESHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE

WIGAN ATHLETIC   vs NORTHWICH VICTORIA

22^nd October 1932

A DOMINANT DISPLAY AS LEADERS THRASHED.

An impressive crowd of 11,827 filled Springfield Park to see the Latics lock horns with the current League leaders. Gate receipts totalled £323. Northwich had a good following (around 250) and the game had been selected for their annual away trip, with the travelling supporters going on to visit Blackpool illuminations after the match.

Northwich came into the game having only lost one previous game, but apart from the first twenty minutes they were simply blown away as Wigan produced a performance of the highest order.

Northwich won the toss and chose to have a strong wind at their backs. Rooney showed some good early touches, but it was Hughes and McCabe who forced the first saves of the game when Styles was called into action. Murphy then had a goal-bound shot charged down by Dale. Northwich then got into the game and Edwards hit a long-range shot was dipping under the bar until Abbott leapt to save. The game was an end-to-end battle and after nothing came from a couple of Latics corners, it was Halfpenny who went close with a shot that deflected off Spencer before going narrowly wide with Abbott wrong-footed. The resulting corner allowed the visitors to keep up the pressure on the Athletic defensive line and a header amidst a goal-line melee passed narrowly over the Wigan crossbar. On fifteen minutes Latics finally took a hold of the game when HUGHES collected a long raking pass from Chambers, raced past a flat-footed Ogden, before cutting inside and planting a fierce shot past Styles in the Victoria goal. Wigan had a good penalty appeal turned down when Chambers was sent tumbling, but the reprieve was only temporary as when McCabe and Chambers put Ogden under pressure he fluffed his clearance allowing HUGHES to sprint clear and fire home on the run past a statuesque Styles. Latics continued to press and just before the break Chambers caught Styles in possession and when the ball ran free to MCCABE, he slammed the ball home.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 3-0 Northwich Victoria.

The second half started with Abbott saving well from Broome, then Chambers headed just wide after a run and cross by Murphy. On 52 minutes an attack built on the left wing and when the cross found MCCABE, he controlled and netted the fourth with a firmly struck shot.  The game was effectively over as a contest and Northwich visibly wilted as Wigan just grew in strength. The visitors started to adopt a very high line as they looked to catch the Wigan forwards offside. This worked briefly but when McCabe swung a ball out wide to Murphy his run was well timed and his cross found CHAMBERS who netted a good goal. Two minutes later and the offside trap failed again as Chambers and McCabe linked up and released MURPHY who netted number six with a flying strike. Latics were rampant and Northwich reverted to defending deep and packing the area as they tried to keep the score down. Latics forced a series of corners but the sheer numbers in the visitor’s defence were able to repel the threat. Eventually the seventh goal arrived, a corner kick found the head of ALLON who found the corner of the net. Allon nearly scored again when his shot following a set play forced Styles to push the ball wide, then from the corner Allon managed a hooked shot that passed just over the bar.

The game was one-way traffic and McCabe appeared to be tripped in the box, but the penalty appeals were waved away.  JONES netted the eighth goal when a lovely threaded pass by Allon played him into space so that he could slot home the chance. Chambers was desperate to add another goal to his personal tally and he sent in a flying header, following a cross by McCabe that went narrowly wide. MCCABE completed his hat-trick by netting number nine, then as the game entered its closing minutes Chambers forced the ball into the visitors net for the tenth goal he craved, only for the offside flag to deny him.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 9-0 Northwich Victoria.

Attendance; 11,827

Scorers; Hughes (15), (27), McCabe (40), (52), (80), Chambers (60), Murphy (65), Allon (70), Jones (75);

Team; WIGAN-- Abbott; O’Dell, Callachan; Wake, Spencer, Allon; Hughes, Chambers, McCabe, Jones, Murphy;  

NORTHWICH VICTORIA—Styles; Dale, Ogden; Whitehead, Halfpenny, Rooney; Edwards, Broome, Loughlin, Burgess, Owen;

Referee; S. Boardman (Altrincham)

The two points that Latics gained for their win reduced the gap between Northwich (the league leaders), and Latics (sitting in second spot) to just one point.

The crowd was by far the biggest in the League and surpassed all of the games played in the Third Division of the Football League.