LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

BLACKPOOL   vs   WIGAN ATHLETIC

2^ND September 2023

LATE HEARTBREAK BY THE SEASIDE.

Wigan, and a large band of supporters, made the trip down the M55 for an away trip that is always one of the highlights of the season. 

Latics were forced into making one change to the starting XI, with Morrison coming in to replace Hughes (suspended). The Wigan bench was boosted with new loan man Godo, and summer signing Jonny Smith, both featuring for the first time.

The game started at a furious pace, which saw Latics denied a penalty in the first few minutes. Lang and Adeeko combined well and played McManaman in behind. The tricky wing man checked back and appeared to be caught by the defender, but the appeals for a penalty were waved away. Blackpool quickly switched play to the other end and Campbell outpaced Pearce before putting in a hard low cross and RHODES nipped in at the near post to score the opener. Wigan looked for an instant response and on nine minutes Humphrys produced a cross-cum-shot that just evaded the lurking Lang at the far post. The game had settled into a pattern with Latics dominating possession and Blackpool seemingly happy to sit in their defensive shape and try and hit back on the break.  The Blackpool approach seemed to be working as Latics were finding it hard to muster any meaningful threat on goal, whilst at the other end Tickle had to be at his very best to deny firstly Jason Weir (ex-Tic) who fired in a fierce drive, and then on 22 minutes to save from Callum Connelly (ex-Tic) whose deflected free kick had the Latics keeper at full stretch.  In the 41^st minute Matt Smith played in a cross from a free-kick on the right, Humphrys got his head to the ball and directed it across the goal towards Kel Watts, but the Latics man could only direct his header over the crossbar.

Half Time; Blackpool 1-0 Wigan Athletic.

The second half began as almost a mirror image of the first with Hamilton using his pace to good effect on the right flank. Again, the Blackpool man whipped in a cross and Rhodes looked likely to score but a timely intervention by Morrison saw the attempt thwarted. Wigan responded with their best move of the match, Humphrys broke free on the right and played Charlie Wyke in behind the Blackpool back-line. The big striker cleverly pulled the ball back to the on-rushing Lang but the Wigan man’s shot was well saved by the Blackpool keeper, McManaman was able to recycle the ball and he found Humphrys who got off a shot that was goal-bound, only for the linesman to raise his flag.

Another Blackpool break saw Hamilton again on a marauding run down the right and this time the wide man was able to pick out Morgan, but his shot again was not good enough to beat Tickle.

Just after the hour mark Maloney brought on some attacking re-enforcements, James Balagizi and Jonny Smith both entered the game to try and find the key to unlock the well marshalled Blackpool defence. 

On 66 minutes it was the Tangerines that again went close and it was Hamilton again that was the dangerman. This time the wide man took a chance to cut inside and send in a curling shot, but Tickle was again equal to the task. With time running out Maloney brought on Magennis as Latics went to a more direct approach.

In the 89^th minute the direct approach was to bear fruit. Humphrys raiding on the right flank checked back onto his left foot before whipping in a cross. MAGENNIS rose and made contact with a deft back-header that nestled neatly in the bottom corner.

Latics, smelling blood, went searching for the winner but were caught out deep in injury time by a fast Blackpool counter. Morrison was clearly struggling with cramp and Wigan were stretched and light in numbers as Pool launched their late raid and substitute DOUGALL was able to find time and space in the Latics six-yard box to force home the deciding goal.

Full Time; Blackpool   2-1   Wigan Athletic.

Attendance; 11,537

Scorers; Rhodes (4), Dougall (90+4); Magennis (89);

Team; WIGAN---(4-2-3-1); Tickle; Clare, Watts, Morrison, Pearce; M Smith, Adeeko; Humphrys, Lang, McManaman; Wyke; Subs; J Smith, Balagizi, Magennis;

BLACKPOOL---(4-4-2); Grimshaw; Connolly, Husband, Casey, Pennington; Morgan, Norburn, Weir, Hamilton; Rhodes, Beesley; Subs; Virtue-Thick; Dale, Dougall;

Referee; A. Backhouse;

The match statistics showed that Latics had racked up 67% possession, but despite this they only mustered six shots and Maloney was rightly critical of their lack of penetration.  It seemed to be a pattern that sides were now choosing to sit deep and invite Latics to try and play through their defence while hitting fast on the break. Certainly Northampton, Barnsley and Blackpool had adopted this approach.

The international break would give the coaching staff to work on how to overcome such tactics.

The international break did see some welcome recognition for a number of the Latics squad.  Sam Tickle received a well-deserved call-up to the England U21 side. Morrison was called up for the Scotland U21 squad, Baba Adeeko received a first call-up for the Eire U21 team and senior squad members Magennis and Jones were called up for the Northern Ireland main squad.