Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs OXFORD UNITED

24^TH October 2023

LATICS ACHIEVE TOP MARKS AGAINST HIGH-FLYING UNITED.

Oxford arrived at the DW siting proudly in second place in the table with a game in hand on the leaders, and five points clear of the chasing pack.

The visitors started with confidence and moved the ball about well as they probed for an early goal. On seven minutes McGuane fizzed a shot in from distance and Tickle had to be alert to beat the ball away, then five minutes later Mills fired in an effort that had Tickle diving low to his left.

Then on 17 minutes, and distinctly against the run of play Latics took the lead. Shaw did well to hold the ball in midfield and fed Aasgaard who neatly slid the ball between two defenders to set free HUMPHRYS and with just the keeper to beat he curled the ball inside the far post.  Rodrigues, for the visitors, looked to be favourite to latch onto a dangerous cross but Jones was able to intervene and clear the danger.

Oxford were still having the lion’s share of possession but Wigan, with the pace of Godo, Jones and Humphrys always looked a threat on the counter and as the half wore on the early swagger that had defined the Oxford play was disappearing and Latics were beginning to play with more comfort and control.

On 43 minutes, Mills tried his luck from fully 35 yards, which may have been indicative of how well Wigan were defending, but Tickle saved comfortably.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 1-0 Oxford United.

Rodrigues had the first shot on goal in the second period, firing in from 20 yards, but Tickle was again well positioned to save. Then at the other end, Jones played in a precise cross that picked out an unmarked Aasgaard, but the young Norwegian headed straight at Beadle in the Oxford goal.

Sessignon then played in Godo on the right wing, and the Fulham loanee jinked inside and steered an accurate shot towards the bottom corner, but Beadle at full stretch got a hand to it to push it round the post. From the resulting corner Hughes looped a header onto the roof of the net with the keeper beaten.

McGuane fired in another long range shot for Oxford that Tickle had to turn over the bar. Pearce came on from the subs bench and had an instant impact on 68 minutes when he fed in a trademark cross that Godo directed goalwards only for Brown to produce a last- ditch block.

Godo, with his fine dribbling skills, drew a foul just outside the penalty box and LANG, with 81 minutes on the clock, curled a wonderful free kick round the wall and inside the post to double the advantage. It was Langs first goal of the season and he celebrated his success with gusto. Josh Stones was introduced for a tiring Godo and his energy immediately upset the Oxford defenders. He fired in a cross shot that the keeper did well to palm onto the crossbar, then from the corner he headed at goal, only for the Oxford shot-stopper to deny him again.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 2-0 Oxford United.

Attendance; 9,108

Scorers; Humphrys (17), Lang (81);

Team; WIGAN---(4-2-3-1); Tickle; Clare, Hughes, Morrison Sessignon; Shaw, Adeeko; Jones, Godo, Aasgaard; Humphrys; Subs; Pearce, Lang, McManaman, Stones;

OXFORD UNITED---(4-2-3-1); Beadle; Long, Moore, Brown, Leigh; McGuane, McEachran; Mills, Rodrigues, Goodrham; Harris; Subs; Bodin, Murphy, Gorrin, O’Donkor;

Referee, D. Rock.

Wigan still sit in the relegation zone, but the six points from the last two games have certainly made the League Table look a lot better.