Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs STEVENAGE

27^th January 2024

LATICS FAIL TO MAKE IT SIX UNBEATEN AGAINST BATTLING STEVENAGE.

After the feisty affair at Stevenage earlier in the season the hope was that this game would see both sides concentrating on football. Wigan got the perfect start when a speculative cross was handled in the box by Sweeney as he challenged MAGENNIS and the Wigan skipper fired home from the penalty spot.

Stevenage looked to hit back and Reid went close with a header that passed just wide of the post. A minute later and Tickle and Chambers got themselves in a mess when they tried to play out from defence and the two youngsters were relieved when the ball rebounded off the keeper and flew over the bar for a corner. The visitors were pressing hard and their aerial assault paid off when Oliver outmuscled the defenders to head the ball to REID who slotted home the chance. The game was now being battled out in midfield and both teams had promising spells but chances were at a premium.  Then on 36 minutes Latics again took the lead, a free kick found AASGAARD in the box and his control was perfect as he slipped his marker and then deftly slipped the ball past the keeper. The visitors continued to look dangerous and Reid headed Butlers cross just wide of the goal. Latics could and probably should have had a third before half time, firstly Clare could have scored but his effort was blocked by Butler, and then Hughes should have scored as he bundled a corner home at the near post, but the referee very harshly ruled that there had been an infringement.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 2-1 Stevenage.

The second period saw play moving quickly from end to end, Stevenage had clearly been told to make the game more physical and they were looking to get the ball into the Wigan box as quickly as possible with a series of hopeful long balls that Hughes and Kerr, who was playing his first league game for 15 months, were struggling to deal with. A deep free kick was won at the back post by Piergianni and his header fell to Reid but the striker missed the target from close-range when he really should have scored.

Having gone 54 minutes without a booking the yellow card was now being wielded at regular intervals as the game looked in danger of boiling over.

The more physical game was definitely suiting the visitors more than Latics and it was no real surprise when following a partially cleared free kick Freeman lofted the ball back into the box and PIERGIANNI was able to loop a header back into the opposite corner of the goal giving Tickle no chance.

On 80 minutes a sustained period of Stevenage pressure saw Latics dropping deep into defence and when the midfield was slow to close down THOMPSON on the edge of the box he coolly slotted home past the partially unsighted Tickle.

Maloney rang the changes as Wigan desperately went in search of a late leveller but to no avail as Latics fell to their first League defeat since Boxing Day.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 2-3 Stevenage.

Scorers; Magennis (5, pen), Aasgaard (38); Reid (15), Piergianni (65), Thompson (81);

Attendance; 8,804

WIGAN (3-4-2-1) --- Tickle; Kerr, Hughes, Chambers; M. Smith, Shaw, Jones, Clare; Aasgaard, J. Smith; Magennis; Subs; McManaman, Humphrys, Wyke, Sessegnon, Godo;

STEVENAGE (4-2-3-1) --- MacGillivray; Wildin, Sweeney, Piergianni, Butler; Freeman, White, Burns, Roberts; Reid, Oliver; Subs; Thompson, List, Guinness-Walker, MacDonald;

Referee; B. Toner.

The defeat knocked Latics back after a great confidence building run that had seen them pull clear of the relegation battle. The good news was the return on Jason Kerr after such a bad injury, the game will have done him the world of good as he tries to improve his match sharpness.

The end of January saw the end of the transfer window, Wigan confirmed the signing of Charlie Goode on a loan until the end of the season, they also added to their squad by taking Charlie Kelman on loan from Q.P.R.  Heading out on loan was Charlie Wyke, who joined ex-Latics manager Leam Richardson at Rotherham with a view to making the move permanent at the end of the season.  A number of youngsters were allowed out on loan, Joe Adams joined Morecambe, Luke Robinson extended his stay at St Johnstone, James Carragher joined Inverness CT, Ethan Mitchell extended his stay at AFC Fylde, Harry McHugh joined Ayr United until the end of the season and keeper Matt Wonnacott joined NPL side 1874 Northwich.