Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs BURTON ALBION

21^st January 2025

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK.

Latics appeared to have the perfect opportunity to climb the table and set up a late season charge for the play-offs, with Burton marooned at the foot of the table the visitors to the Brick stadium.

Captain Jason Kerr came back into the starting XI for James Carragher, while new signings Jon Mellish and Ollie Norburn earnt their first Latics starts in the place of Luke Robinson and Jensen Weir who served the first of his three-game ban following his sending off against Stevenage.

In attack, Michael Olakigbe, Jonny Smith and Dale Taylor all returned to the starting line-up, replacing Silko Thomas, Joe Hungbo, and Will Goodwin who were named on the bench.

Latics started on the front foot with home debutant Mellish driving forward from left back, but his touch just let him down when looking to latch onto Aasgaard’s pass inside the box and the danger was cleared.

Dale Taylor was unmarked in the box on 18 minutes and Jonny Smith found him with a cross from the right flank, but the striker’s header didn’t have the pace to trouble the Burton keeper.

Another of our home debutants, Norburn had a fierce shot blocked before Latics went ahead through the man of the moment, Aasgaard.

A quick transition from defence to attack saw Norburn finding Taylor who did brilliantly to slot the Norwegian clean through and AASGAARD approached the box and drilled a low left footed drive into the corner, via the hand of Max Crocombe.

The lead did not last for long mind as straight from the restart Sam Tickle denied Burrell with a stunning point-blank save only for BODVARSSON to follow up and volley the rebound into the corner.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 1-1 Burton Albion.

Latics continued to dominate possession but created little, while Albion always looked threatening on the break.

Will Aimson came to Latics rescue on 53 minutes as a quick Burton counter attack led to Charlie Webster racing into the box and feeding McKiernan, but a combination of first Jason Kerr and then Aimson blocked his effort.

Taylor was then denied at the other end as Ryan Sweeney blocked his goal bound effort before it was another counter attack which this time punished Latics.

Dodgson found space on the left and when his low cross evaded Kerr, it fell for BURRELL who poked the ball home.

Latics tried to up the intensity as substitutes joined the fray and Dale Taylor was denied by the woodwork after a cross from Silko Thomas found him in space.

The striker cleverly engineered a shot that struck the post before Mellish’s rebound was blocked and hacked clear.

Latics huffed and puffed as another substitute, Hungbo fired over, but the visitors held on to claim a surprise victory.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 1-2 Burton Albion.

Scorers; Aasgaard (32); Bodvarsson (34), Burrell (59);

Attendance; 7,553

Teams; WIGAN— (4-2-3-1) Tickle; Sibbick, Mellish, Aimson, Kerr; S. Smith; Norburn, Aasgaard, J. Smith, Olikagbe; Taylor; Subs: --- Watson, Carragher, Robinson, McHugh (for Sibbick), Thomas (for Olikagbe), Goodwin (for S. Smith), Hungbo (for J. Smith).

BURTON ALBION--- (5-3-2) Crocombe; Godwin-Malife, Vancooten, Sweeney, Armer, Dodgson; Webster, Chauke, McKiernan; Burrell, Bodvarsson; Subs: --- Watt (for Chauke), Bennett (for Burrell), Orsi-Dadomo (for Bodvarsson), Kalinauskas (for McKiernan), Isted, Delap, Bodin;

Referee; Mr. Scott Oldham (Blackpool).