Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

MANSFIELD TOWN vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

4^th March 2025

LATICS DIG DEEP TO KEEP STAGS AT BAY IN ONE SIDED AFFAIR.
 

Glenn Whelan stepped into the managerial breach and picked up a point in his first game as Interim Manager as Latics and Mansfield play out a stalemate at the One Call Stadium.

Latics struggled to get a foothold in the first half, but Mansfield also lacked any attacking incisiveness and only tested Sam Tickle from distance. Ronan Darcy had a chance when he found space at the back post in the second half, but could only fire wide as the points were shared.

Following the departure of Shaun Maloney on Sunday, Interim Manager Glenn Whelan opted to make three changes from Saturday's defeat against Reading, with James Carragher, Scott Smith, and Dion Rankine returning to the starting line-up in place of Toby Sibbick, Baba Adeeko, and Jonny Smith.

The hosts came closest to opening the scoring inside the first five minutes after a corner was nodded on, but Baily Cargill could not convert at the back post.

Latics won a corner of their own a minute later which resulted in Jason Kerr volleying wide. Kerr then gave the ball away which saw Sam Tickle called into action as he saved Keanu Baccus effort.

Aaron Lewis then tested Tickle from distance with a volley following a Mansfield corner before Caylan Vickers’ shot was straight at the Wigan number one.

At the other end of the pitch Dale Taylor linked well with Darcy, but the latter fired over when the space opened up. Stephen McLaughlin thought he had opened the scoring for the home side, but his volley from another corner hit the side netting.

Half Time; Mansfield Town 0-0 Wigan Athletic.

Mansfield came out on the front foot in the second half and won a succession of corners before Whelan made two changes introducing Jonny Smith and Baba Adeeko. The changes seemed to steady the ship and Wigan threatened as Darcy found space wide left, but after taking a touch could only guide his low effort wide of the far post.

As the game neared its final quarter Will Aimson had to be alert to clear a Mansfield effort off the line before Tickle then smothered the rebound with the home side pushed for a winner.

Latics forced three successive corners as the match headed into the final 10 minutes of the game but they failed to test the home keeper. Baccus then had a big chance right at the death for the Stags, but he blazed wildly over from inside the box meaning that the points were shared.

Full Time; Mansfield Town 0-0 Wigan Athletic.

Attendance; 6,884

Teams; WIGAN— (4-2-3-1) Tickle; Carragher, Aimson, Kerr, Mellish; Norburn, S. Smith; Darcy, Dale, Rankine; Taylor; Subs: --- Watson, Weir (for S. Smith), Adeeko (for Dale), Sibbick, J. Smith (for Rankine), L. Robinson (for Taylor), McManaman.

MANSFIELD TOWN-- (3-5-2) Flinders; Hewitt, Oshilaja, Cargill; Garcia; Akins, Baccus, Reed, Lewis, McLaughlin; Evans, Vickers; Subs: --- Kilgour, Bowery (for Akins), Flint (for Vickers), S. Quinn (for Hewitt), Waine (for Evans), Mason, Boateng (for Baccus);

Referee; Mr. Will Finnie (Bedfordshire).