Report by SJG

CHESHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs ALTRINCHAM

9^th September 1933

WIGAN GET SEASON BACK ON TRACK WITH IMPORTANT WIN.

Latics were busy in the transfer market again and signed Quinn, a lively winger who had league experience with Reading. The club had been plagued by injuries and as a result the line-up had an experimental look. Harrison (centre half), Snaith (inside right) and Cowper (outside right) were all deemed not to be fit.

The new look Wigan side took time to settle and were fortunate not to concede in the opening exchanges when the Robins left winger slipped past Robinson but when faced with only the keeper to beat he fluffed his lines and fired wide of the target. Then as Wigan settled to their task they began to play some incisive passes and found space on the flanks. Glidden was showing some lovely touches that helped to link up play and when a dangerous cross caused panic in the visitor’s defence CHESTERS unwittingly turned the ball into his own goal. Glidden nearly added a second when he flashed a header across the face of goal, beating Steward in the Altrincham net but also beating the far post.

The game became mired in midfield as both sides tried to take control of proceedings, Clacker drove in a fine cross that tested Caunce in the Latics goal. Caunce was showing good handling and dealt well with a couple of Altrincham set plays. Then at the other end Glidden headed just over and Jones nearly succeeded in bustling home a Quinn cross. Felton should have doubled the score but he contrived to fire his shot wildly over the bar when well-placed after a neat pass by Scott had split the Robins defence.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 1-0 Altrincham.  

The second period started with the visitors on the attack, Nixon fed Davies who sprinted forward into the Wigan penalty area before squaring to Beech, but from close-range the Altrincham man contrived to screw his shot wide of the target. Latics responded well and had a big shout for a penalty when the ball appeared to be handled by Roscoe following a Quinn shot, but the referee waved play on. Then on 63 minutes GLIDDEN broke through the Altrincham defence and fired a low shot from long range that flew past Steward in the visitor’s goal. Wigan were now taking a firm hold of the game and a smart passing move saw Glidden, Scott and Felton linking play and only good goalkeeping thwarted the unlucky Felton. Felton went close again when he accepted a neat pass from Quinn before jinking past his marker and firing at goal but the effort was palmed over by Steward at full stretch.

Nixon tried a curling shot from distance as Altrincham tried desperately to get back into the game, but his aim was off the mark. Caunce then was called upon to fist clear an effort from Beech. Kavanagh and Robson both looked assured in the Wigan defence despite the latter playing in a non-familiar centre half role.

Time was against Altrincham and they threw more men forward as they chased a goal, but it was Wigan who struck, Scott sprinted into the space left by the Altrincham defence and when he supplied a well-judged cross it was met by JONES who firmly fired home.

Latics nearly grabbed a fourth in the dying minutes when Steward, under heavy pressure from the Wigan forwards, spilled the ball but the referee adjudged the challenge to have been too robust and awarded the keeper a free-kick.

When the final whistle went Wigan had gained a valuable win over an Altrincham side that had come into the game as one of the unbeaten sides in the division. The manager, Charlie Spencer had also learned a lot about his squad and could not have failed to be impressed by the flexibility shown by several of his charges.

Robson, who was not familiar to the centre-half role was particularly impressive and showed good defensive awareness as well as a range of passing that served as an effective springboard for the Wigan attack.

Quinn, on his debut, showed fine close control and his crossing was accurate and provided the robust Jones with some fine ammunition with which to test the visitor’s defences. While on the other flank the link up play between Scott and Felton was developing nicely.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 3-0 Altrincham.

Scorers; Chesters (OG, 12), Glidden (63), Jones (85);

Attendance; 6,000

Team; WIGAN---Caunce; Robinson, O’Donnell; Kavanagh, O’Dell, Robson; Quinn, Felton, Glidden, Jones, Scott;

ALTRINCHAM---Steward; Heywood, Roscoe; Chesters, Farrell, Pybus; Davies, Clacher, Nixon, Beech, Jones;

Referee; Mr. J. Lord. (Rochdale)