Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs LEYTON ORIENT

7^th December 2024

WINDSWEPT LATICS GET BLOWN AWAY.

Wigan Athletic were on the end of a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Leyton Orient in far from ideal conditions at the Brick Community Stadium.

The visitors took the lead four minutes before the break as Jayden Sweeney got on the end of Dan Agyei's cross. Then, late in the game, Diallang Jaiyesimi secured the victory as he profited from a mix up at the back to tap past Sam Tickle on a freezing cold, windy afternoon.

The Latics Gaffer opted to make a number of changes from our outing at the John Smith's Stadium, with Steven Sessegnon, Baba Adeeko, Scott Smith, Dion Rankine and Silko Thomas all coming into the starting XI.

Former Latics defender Tom James started for the away side, while ex-loanee Charlie Kelman was named on the visitor’s bench.

Early on Dale Taylor fed Dion Rankine down the right-hand side, who pulled it back to Scott Smith on the edge of the area. He hit his effort first time, but couldn’t keep it down and it flew over the bar.  Leyton Orient threatened at the other end as Sonny Perkins almost met Jayden Sweeney's cross at the far post.

Tickle was then alert to deny Ollie O’Neill who was played clean through, Tickle was quick to advance and narrow the angle before smothering the resulting shot.

The visitors took the lead four minutes before the break after an attack down the right. Agyei broke free from the attentions of Aimson and crossed for SWEENEY, who had got in-front of his marker, to bundle the ball home at the near post.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 0-1 Leyton Orient.

Thomas and Adeeko made way for McManaman and Aasgaard as Latics looked for a route back into the game and one of those changes saw McManaman feed Steven Sessegnon who curled an effort towards goal from just inside the box. Goalkeeper Josh Keeley fumbled the ball but Jensen Weir was denied a tap in by Sweeney at the back post.

The game became increasingly scrappy as Latics tried to adapt to the conditions by being more direct, but it was former Tic Kelman who had the best chance to score when he was played clean through with just Tickle to beat but he could only fire wide.

Wigan were not creating much by way of goalscoring opportunities and had to rely on long range shots. The closest was an Aasgaard effort when he tried his luck from 25 yards in added time, but his effort drifted just wide.

The visitors put the game beyond any doubt deep into added time as a mix up between Toby Sibbick and Tickle saw JAIYESIMI nip in to tap into the empty goal.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 0-2 Leyton Orient.

Scorers; Sweeney (41), Jaiyesimi (90+2);

Attendance; 8.306

Teams; WIGAN— (4-2-3-1) Tickle; Sibbick, Kerr, Aimson, Sessegnon; Adeeko, S. Smith; Rankine, Weir, Thomas; Taylor; Subs: --- Watson, Asamoah (for Aimson), Dummett (for Sessegnon), McManaman (for J. Thomas), Carragher, J. Smith (for Rankine), Aasgaard (for Adeeko);

LEYTON ORIENT--- (3-5-2) Keeley; James, Beckles, Happe; Sweeney, Brown, Ball, Perkins, Donley; O’Neill, Agyei; Subs: --- Hemming, Simpson, Cooper, Galbraith (for Perkins), Kelman (for Donley), Jaiyesimi (for Agyei), Obiero;

Referee; Mr. Carl Brook (Sussex).