Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs EXETER CITY

10^th February 2024

GRECIANS GAIN SOME REVENGE AS LATICS ARE FRUSTRATED.

Maloney made two enforced changes to the starting XI after the fine win at Peterborough, Jones came in for the injured Sessegnon, and Scott Smith replaced Matt Smith who serves a one match suspension.

Exeter had the first effort at goal when the ball fell kindly for Aitchison but his smart volley flew wide of the goal. It took Latics only three minutes to threaten when Godo crossed from the right to find Aasgaard who headed straight into the arms of Sinisalo in the Exeter goal. Aasgaard tested the keeper with a 25-yard free kick but his curled effort was palmed behind for a corner. Then against the run of play Exeter grabbed the lead.

EISA collected the ball in his own half and ran at the Wigan defence before letting fly from 30 yards, the shot looped wickedly off Goode and wrong-footed Tickle as it found the corner of the net. With Latics visibly shaken the visitors went in search of a second goal and only Clare’s diving intervention prevented a well delivered free kick finding a Grecian head.  Tickle produced a good save to deny Reece Cole from distance, then Luke Harris fired wide when well placed.

Latics had a good chance to level when a Jones cross picked out Godo at the far post, but the Fulham loanee headed wide when unmarked.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 0-1 Exeter City.

Maloney made three attacking changes at the break and the new men had an instant impact as the Exeter defence struggled to cope with the pace of Jonny Smith. An early cross found Kelman who saw his shot bundled behind from a tight angle.

Latics continued to push forward, Hughes played a neat through ball for Smith but the defence managed to get a block on the shot and it went wide. Sze went close with a header from the resulting corner but his glancing effort went just beyond the far post.  Another set play saw Hughes power in a header but the keeper was well placed and saved with ease.

Against the run of play Exeter grabbed a second goal, a cross from the right was partially cleared and landed at the feet of AITCHISON who drove in a low shot that took a deflection off the unlucky Smith and found the net.

Cole curled an effort just wide as Exeter nearly took the game out of sight with a third goal, but at the right end KELMAN scored on his home debut when he was first to react after Sinisalo palmed out a Humphrys shot and he neatly tucked away the loose ball from a tight angle.

Wigan piled on the pressure as they looked for the equaliser, Aasgaard volleyed over from 25 yards, and then went even closer with a header that flashed wide after a McManaman cross.

In injury time Wigan forced a number of corners and Tickle came forward to try and add his height to the threat, but time was against the home side and when the final whistle sounded Exeter had recorded their first win against Latics since 1993.

Gary Caldwell, the Exeter manager and the ex-Latics player, captain and manager, was obviously delighted but had only positive things to say about his old side in the press conference after the game.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 1-2 Exeter City.

Scorers; Kelman (71); Eisa (10), Aitchison (66);

Attendance; 9,431

WIGAN (3-4-2-1) --- Tickle; Hughes, Goode, Chambers; Jones, S.Smith, Adeeko, Clare; Aasgaard, Godo; Magennis; Subs; J. Smith, Sze, Humphrys, Kelman, McManaman;

EXETER CITY (3-4-2-1) --- Sinisalo; Sweeney, Diabate, Jules; Niskanen, Carroll, Cole, Harper; Aitchison, Harris; Eisa; Subs; Cox, Wildschut, Rankine, Woods;

Referee; A. Chilowicz.

The home defeat saw Latics drop to 14^th in the table, sixteen points from a play-off spot and six points above the bottom four. The target for this season, particularly given the handicap of the eight-point deduction and the transfer restrictions, remains safety and to start to build a financially sustainable club for the future.