Report by SJG

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs GRIMSBY TOWN

19^TH August 1978

A STUTTERING START.

What should have been Latics’ party night – their first home match in the League– turned sour in front of 9,227 fans at Springfield Park. Disappointing it certainly was, but it was by no means a disaster. Grimsby were no mugs as they proved last season.

Wigan began brightly but a little apprehensively and by half-time the odds were stacked against them.

Grimsby took full advantage of the space allowed them to get goals through MOORE, who slotted home following a corner kick on 17 minutes, and DONOVAN on 24 minutes, who fired home past an unsighted Brown after being played in by Cumming. Psychologically the killer blow came on 32 minutes when Ward was sent crashing in the box by Donovan, and an over anxious Purdie missed from the penalty spot, firing wide of the target.

After that crucial miss the Mariners seemed to grow in stature and the home side seemed to wilt in comparison.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 0-2 Grimsby Town.

Grimsby were now controlling the game with Latics relying on spasmodic breakaways with their best chances falling to their striker, Peter Houghton. One shot trickled just past the post with the keeper beaten, and then Batch had to stretch to his full height to turn a flashing header over the bar.

Then in the 76^th minute, with Latics still searching for that elusive first goal, they found themselves three down. A defensive mistake by Joe Hinnigan allowed DONOVAN to swoop and net past the stranded Brown.

Davids was booked for shirt pulling, and two Grimsby men, Donovan and Crombie joined the Wigan man in the referees’ notebook.

Ian McNeil was relatively upbeat after the game, he was keen to take the positives from the match and focussed on the quality of the opposition, rather than decry his own side.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 0-3 Grimsby Town.

Attendance; 9,227

Scorers; Donovan (24), (76), Moore (17);

Team; WIGAN—Brown; Gore, Hinnigan, Davids, Gillibrand, Ward; Corrigan, Wright, Purdie; Gay, Houghton; Sub; Crompton (for Gay);

GRIMSBY TOWN—Batch; Mawer, Moore, Crombie, Barker; Waters, Lester, Mitchell, Ford; Donovan, Cumming; Sub; Liddell (for Cumming);

Referee; Mr. M. P. Scott (Nottingham);