Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE

ROCHDALE vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

31^st August 1993

WE HAVE LIFT-OFF AS LATICS EARN FIGHT BACK WIN.

Having been victims of a smash and grab robbery the Wigan team decided to perpetrate a robbery of their own with a barely deserved victory at Spotland.

The Dale had begun the season well and they came into the game as unbeaten leaders of the division, but Latics, cheered on by a decent away following produced a resilient display and with Langley showing his class in the midfield they grabbed the spoils.

The home side dominated the early exchanges with their combative captain Shaun Reid pulling the strings. The lively striker Whitehall was proving elusive and on two separate occassions he drifted into space but his final shot failed to find the target. Wigan keeper Farnworth was called into action to save two shots from distance from Reid and Doyle. On 42 minutes the Latics defence was finally breached when WHITEHALL drifted into the box and slid a low shot past Farnworth.

Half Time; Rochdale 1-0 Wigan Athletic.

Wigan had offered little by way of attacking threat in the first half, and Swain moved and introduced West for Kennedy on 50 minutes. This seemed to have the desired effect with Latics suddenly looking more potent, on 63 minutes good link up play between McKearney and Duffy almost brought an equaliser.  Then on 70 minutes Langley played a defence splitting long ball that picked out MCKEARNEY and the ex-Crewe man fired home a low shot. Three minutes later and LANGLEY gave Wigan the lead, Gavin started the move with a long clearance following a Rochdale corner, his ball picked out Morton who squared the ball for the Wigan midfielder to drive home from 20 yards past ex Everton man, Martin Hodge, in the Dale goal.

Rochdale pushed hard to try and find a leveller, but Wigan defended well and they looked well organised as they restricted the hosts and when they did get a couple of efforts on target they found Farnworth in good form. The final whistle was greeted with great joy by the good Latics contingent as they celebrated a first league win since April 3^rd, some eleven games ago.

Full Time; Rochdale 1-2 Wigan Athletic.

Attendance; 2,628

Scorers; Whitehall (42); McKearney (70), Langley (73);

Team; WIGAN (5-3-2)—Farnworth; Rennie, Kennedy, Robertson, Skipper, Johnson; Duffy, McKearney, Langley; Gavin, Morton; Sub; West (for Kennedy);

ROCHDALE (4-4-2)—Hodge; Thackery, Graham, Reeves, Butler; Reid, Stuart, Doyle, Lancaster; Flounders, Whitehall; Subs; Bowden (for Flounders), Milner (for Lancaster);

Referee; Mr E. J. Parker (Preston).

A win does wonders for the confidence and manager Kenny Swain was delighted with his charges who had shown fight and resilience.  The team had competed well in the second period and a win away against the league leaders was certainly a big step forward.

The week also saw Latics busy in the transfer market when a promising Manchester United and Eire winger Keith Gillespie was snapped up on a one-month loan deal.