Report by SJG

CHESHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE

HURST vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

 18^th November 1933

A RETURN TO WINNING WAYS WITH WELL-EARNED WIN.

After back-to-back away defeats it was important that Wigan rediscovered that winning habit. Robert Talbot returned to the starting XI with the experienced player-manager Charlie Spencer stepping down.

The game was decided by a goal eight minutes before the break but it was the visitors defence that claimed all the plaudits as they manfully denied Hurst an equalising goal that their efforts, particularly in the final quarter of the game, possibly warranted.

Hurst went into the game defending an unbeaten home record but it was Wigan who began the brighter of the two sides as they quickly settled into their work. Cowper broke forward with pace but the linesman adjudged the Wigan man to have strayed offside.

The home side responded and a deep cross from Slater had Caunce at full stretch as he punched clear as home striker Halliday, who had netted for the hosts in every game of the season to date, applied pressure. Hardman then flashed a shot flew narrowly past the Wigan goal. Latics responded as Felton and Cowper linked well and it took a timely intervention from Finney to clear the danger.

Along goal kick by Caunce caused more problems for the Hurst defence as Felton took the ball down with a deft first touch and his well struck drive had to be well handled by Gregory. A free kick for the home side saw Slater delivering a good cross and Caunce was again at full stretch to get above the bobbing heads and affect a good clearance.

Pringle, in the Hurst midfield, played a fine ball through for Slater, but his shot was hurried and was wildly off target.

Wigan were now passing the ball well and a neat five player move began with O’Dell and ended with Scott warming the keeper’s hands with a low stinging shot. Another fast raid saw Scott fire his shot wide of the target and as Wigan began to dominate the home defence found itself stretched with Cowper, Jones, Felton (twice) and Kavanagh all wasting good opportunities to open the scoring. At this stage Hurst were restricted to shots from distance with Pringle and Blair bringing Caunce into action.

The breakthrough came on 37 minutes when Felton collected a throw in from O’Dell and crossed for O’Rourke to head back and JONES fired home from close range.

Three minutes later Slater whipped in a dangerous cross that evaded everyone as Halliday and Hardman stretched every sinew to gain that vital touch.

Half Time; Hurst F.C. 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

The second half saw Hurst making a number of tactical changes and dangerman Halliday fired in a fierce shot that Caunce did well to turn over the crossbar. O’Dell was suffering with a dead leg after a collision late in the first period but he stuck manfully to his task and produced a telling pass that picked out Scott who took his shot first time and narrowly missed the target with the home keeper scrambling to try and cover the effort. O’Rourke also went close with a sweetly struck shot that curled just the wrong side of the upright.

Hurst gradually gained the ascendancy in the game and with Readett and ex- Manchester City man Charlie Pringle providing a solid defensive platform they pressed forward and launched a number of dangerous attacking plays.

Hurst looked particularly dangerous from set plays and a string of corners and free kicks were only repelled by, at times, desperate interventions from Wigan defenders. Robinson was particularly prominent and threw his body into one melee to affect a fine clearance. Wigan continued to threaten on transition and one fast break saw Scott pull a cross back to the unmarked Felton who blasted his effort over the crossbar when he really should have scored.

The final fifteen minutes was played in fading light with Kavanagh and Robson producing good blocks to deny the home side. Then with time running out Blair checked inside from the wing and struck a superb curling effort that forced Caunce into a spectacular full-length diving save as he palmed the ball around the post to make sure that the points headed back to Springfield Park.

Full Time; Hurst F.C. 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Jones (37);

Attendance; 3,000

Team; WIGAN---Caunce; Robinson, Talbot; Kavanagh, Robson, O’Dell; Cowper, Felton, Jones, O’Rourke, Scott;

HURST---Gregory; Readett, Lloyd; Eyres, Pringle, Finney; Slater, Heap, Halliday, Hardman, Blair;

Referee; Mr. J. Sergeant (Stockport).