Report by SJG

Next up for Wigan was an EFL trophy group game.  The draw had paired the Latics with three other sides, Fleetwood Town (league one), Tranmere Rovers (league two) and Leicester City U21. The winners of the group would earn a home tie in the first knockout round and the runners up would be drawn away.  The competition may be a junior one in many eyes, but the prospect of a Wembley final in the Spring sunshine does help to heighten the appeal for the lower league clubs.

EFL TROPHY- GROUP GAME

WIGAN ATHLETIC   vs LEICESTER CITY U21

16^th September 2023

PARTY TIME AS LATICS ROMP HOME.

Maloney rang the changes as he gave various squad members a chance to stake a claim for a first team start. There were eight changes in all, with only Tickle, Hughes and Morrison retaining their places. The game started slowly but Latics gradually got on top and on six minutes Kel Watts headed narrowly wide from a corner. The young Leicester City side were very comfortable on the ball and their pace and trickery in attack was evident and a mix up in defence nearly allowed Amani Richards in on goal, but Tickle acted quickly to bring down the attacker and was only saved from a red card by the presence of a covering defender.  Jonny Smith combined with his namesake Scott Smith who looped in a shot that bounced on top of the crossbar and was scrambled clear. Luke Shaw and Scott Smith combined well in midfield but the ball back to Shaw just evaded the big midfielder.

An in-swinging corner, delivered by Jonny Smith was headed goalward by Shaw, but the effort struck Magennis and the defence were able to clear. On 18 minutes Hughes came to Wigans rescue when the pacy Marcal got in behind and placed a low shot that beat Tickle but Hughes was able to get back and clear the effort off the line. On the half hour Leicester took the lead and it was the pace of Marcal that again caused all the problems. The winger picked up a stray pass and broke on the right before feeding in RAIKHY who checked inside before shooting from 25 yards across Tickle and into the top corner.

Wigan instantly upped the tempo as they searched for a leveller, and three minutes later another corner saw Shaw getting free of his marker, but his header never materialised as he was hauled down by the flailing defender. MAGENNIS stepped up and exacted full toll as he fired home the spot kick, shooting low into the corner.  Latics nearly netted again before the break with Jones and Jonny Smith both going close.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 1-1 Leicester City U21.

If the first half had been an even affair, then the second period certainly wasn’t. Latics started on the front foot and never gave their young opponents a chance to draw breath. A minute after the restart and MAGENNIS doubled both his and Latics’ tally. Jonny Smith showed a good turn of pace down the right and crossed low into the box, where the Latics captain got in-front of his marker to prod the ball home. LANG then got his first goal of the season as he headed in from close range after Magennis had headed a deep corner, delivered by Jonny Smith, back into the six-yard box.  Latics had a fourth just before the hour mark as MAGENNIS looped a header goalward that crept into the net despite the best efforts of the keeper and the woodwork.

With the game all but won Maloney rang the changes and two of the substitutes combined, in the 66^th minute, with Sze picking out Stones who fired a bullet of a shot that thudded against the crossbar before being cleared.

The fifth goal, again came from a corner, the defence failed to clear and MCHUGH was able to take a touch, before firing into the roof of the net from close range. It was one way traffic now and the sixth goal arrived when the impressive Shaw fed in SZE, who fired home a low shot from the edge of the box.

The icing on the cake came with goal number seven, as youngster STONES recorded his first professional goal when he rose highest, in the fifth minute of added time, to head home a deep pinpoint cross from McManaman.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic   7-1   Leicester City U21.

Attendance; 2,073

Scorers; Magennis (33, pen), (46), (59); Lang (57); McHugh (72); Sze (85); Stones (90+5); Raikhy (30);

Team; WIGAN---(4-2-3-1); Tickle; S Smith, Hughes, Morrison, Watts; Shaw, Balagizi; Lang, Jones, J Smith; Magennis; Subs; Stones, Sze, McHugh, McManaman;

LEICESTER---(3-4-3); Young; Appiah, Godsmark-Ford, Wilson-Brown; Aluko, Raikhy, Cover, Hill; Thomas, Richards, Marcal-Madivadua; Subs; Amartey, Ali, Maswanhise, Cartwright, Pennant;

Referee, S. Simpson.

An evening that had started out as a potential banana skin had turned into a rout as Latics completely dominated the second period. The young talent within the club, combined with a few older heads, had laid down a marker for the coming season and it was clear that the Latics academy would have a big part to play in the coming months. Josh Stones, Chris Sze, Scott Smith, Harry McHugh had sent the message that they wanted to add their names to the list of Academy graduates that were pushing for first team places. Liam Shaw had shown his talent as a combative midfielder and his name must now be high on the managers list of possible starters for the next outing away at Bristol Rovers.

Magennis, who is often the target of the fans’ ire had shown that he too can bring something to the group and his attitude after being little more than a bit part player, must be applauded. The other things of note were the return to the group of Jordan Jones. The winger has had an unhappy time at Wigan since signing from Rangers, and has spent most of his time either on loan, or on the treatment table.  New signing Jonny Smith also showed that he can offer much as his fitness levels improve.