Report by SJG

FRIENDLY

A.F.C. FYLDE vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

20^th July 2024 

FOUR-MIDABLE LATICS COAST HOME.

Fylde came into the game on the back of an unbeaten pre-season which included an impressive 3-1 home victory against local rivals Blackpool. The homesters had high hopes for another home success as the game kicked off in humid conditions.

Latics began quickly and very soon established a degree of dominance that they seldom relinquished throughout the ninety minutes. An incredible start to the game saw Wigan string together a series of over fifty passes that probed the Fylde defences and the move ended with a delightful chipped through ball from Matty Smith that picked out AASGAARD who hooked his shot past the keeper from close range. The Wigan movement was bright, quick and inventive and in defence they looked well drilled as Fylde struggled to create any real opportunities to test Tickle. On the half hour Wigan went close again when good link up play saw Rankine threading the ball through for Sessegnon, but his shot found the side netting from a tight angle. On 32 minutes Latics added to their advantage when the ball was worked out to Jonny SMITH who used the space to check inside and fire in a shot from distance that deceived the home keeper who failed to judge his dive which allowed the ball to squirm past his dive and find the net.

Half time; AFC Fylde 0-2 Wigan Athletic.

Leo Graham replaced Jonny Smith at the break as Latics began the second half pressing high up the pitch and this yielded quick results as good link up play down the right saw a trialist, Llyton Chapman, take his chance to impress as he whipped in a cross that found the head of AASGAARD and the Norwegian guided his header into the corner of the net past the helpless Richardson.  On 54 minutes the higher tempo again proved too much for the home side as Sze swung the ball out to the left to find Graham in space and when the youngster crossed from the by-line the hastily cleared ball fell perfectly for RANKINE who was able to take a touch before planting his shot high into the net, via the underside of the crossbar.

The hour mark saw a number of changes for both sides and the game lost some of its structure as Fylde tried hard to add some respectability to the scoreline.  Ex-tics wide man Luke Brennan came on for the home side as a trialist and added some penetration on the flanks as Fylde finally began to stretch the Wigan defence that had previously been fairly untroubled. A deep corner was headed back into the Wigan box and it was Smith who was on hand to hack the ball clear, then a similar set play saw Tickle scrambling to keep the clean sheet intact.

More substitutions followed and the Latics fans who had made the trip even got to see a surprise appearance from the bench of new coach Tom Huddlestone when the ex-England and Tottenham star came on to replace Aasgaard who had taken a slight knock following a robust challenge from Brennan. Wigan saw out the remaining minutes of the game and can only be pleased, not only with the result, but with the style of its achievement.

Full time; AFC Fylde 0-4 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Aasgaard (2), (47), J.Smith (32), Rankine (53);

Attendance; 1011

Teams; WIGAN — Tickle; Sessegnon, Hughes, Carragher; Trialist (Chapman), M.Smith, Adeeko, J.Smith, Rankine, Sze, Aasgaard; Subs; Graham for J Smith, Edwards for Rankine, Huddlestone for Aasgaard, Igiehon for Sessegnon;

FYLDE— Richardson; Evans, Davis, Long, Hosannah; Whelan, Mitchell, Haughton, Utabasi; Jolley, Ormerod; Subs; Riley, Obi, McFayden, Hailwood, O’Kane, Morris, Brennan, Trialist.

Referee; Mr. Michael Salisbury (Lancashire).