Report by SJG

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

15^th August 1970

LAST MINUTE HEARTBREAK AS LATICS THROW AWAY A POINT.

Latics should have begun the new season with a two-point haul from their trip to the North East but a late rally by the home side would left the new look side under the stewardship of Gordon Milne, disappointed.

The new strike partnership of Temple and Davies looked looks likely to be a potent force in the coming season and their early form was surely the high spot of the afternoon for the sizeable band of Latics devotees who had made the trip.

The game began in bright August sunshine and it was the hosts who created the first chance when a chipped ball by Brown caused problems for the Latics rearguard and Alexander screwed his shot wide of the target.

On 25 minutes a driven free kick by Sutherland picked out a diving DAVIES and he planted his header into the Trinity net. Then on the half hour Latics went close to adding to their tally when another searching cross was headed goalwards by Davies but the ball struck the upright with Widdowson beaten and was hacked to safety.

The keeper, a midweek signing from Portsmouth, was certainly the busier custodian and he made a number of timely interventions and smart saves to thwart the Wigan forwards. The best save was shortly before the break when he did well to block a snap shot by Fleming.

The home side did have their chances and a hard low cross by Taylor flew across the face of goal but no forward could get the vital touch. Then Alexander missed with a headed opportunity, before Woodall, who was set free by a Salmon pass, fired weakly wide when well placed.

Half Time; Gainsborough Trinity 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

The second period saw Wigan continuing to press and Widdowson was again called upon to block a low drive by Savage that looked bound for the net. On the hour mark Alexander had another good chance to level the scores as a deep cross by Brown picked out the forward in the penalty area. Strangely the striker chose to chest the ball and Reeves in the Latics goal was quick to diffuse any danger.

Wigan were now sitting deeper and they were creating less by way of chances, however, when full back Harper sliced a clearance to Savage they took full advantage. Savage quickly pounced and fired over a fine cross that BREEN slotted home past the stranded keeper.

With just fifteen minutes left on the clock the game looked to be all over but Trinity struck back almost immediately when Brown picked out Taylor on an over lapping run down the wing and his cross was smartly turned into the net by WOODALL with a neat glancing header.

The home side went all out in a barn storming finish and grabbed a leveller, that they probably deserved, in the last minute of the game. Substitute WILCOCKSON was the last gasp hero for the hosts as he pounced on a poor defensive clearance by Coutts and jabbed the ball home from close-range.

Full Time; Gainsborough Trinity 2-2 Wigan Athletic

Scorers; Davies (50), Breen (75); Goodall (77), Wilcockson (90+3);

Attendance; 1,791

Team; WIGAN---Reeves; Morris, Sutherland, Coutts, Milne; Gillibrand, Savage, Breen, Temple, Davies, Fleming; Sub; --- Dugdale

GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY---Widdowson; Harper, Stainton, Green, Passmoor; Barrett, Woodall, Brown; Alexander, Salmon, Taylor; Sub; --- Wilcockson

Referee; Mr. D. Lumb (Cleethorpes)

The opening weekend of fixtures saw South Shields net five against Runcorn, reigning champions Macclesfield won 2-0 at Goole and Netherfield recorded a fine win at Bradford Park Avenue in-front of the days highest crowd.