Report by SJG

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs DONCASTER ROVERS

14^TH October 1978

LATICS IMPRESS, BUT NEED MORE GOALS.

Wigan produced their best performance of the season so far, and should have won by a wider margin than the single goal that had to suffice. The same issue of not turning superiority into goals was again evident and it nearly cost them in the dying minutes when the industrious Owen went close to equalising.

Doncaster provided Latics with an early scare when French raced through and fired home past Brown, only for a linesman’s flag to come to the home sides rescue.

Wigan quickly recovered from that close call and Peacock, in the Doncaster goal, was forced into a number of good saves. First, he foiled Brownbill from six yards, then he caught a powerful Gore header and followed that by pushing the ball clear in a tussle with Moore. Doncaster relied on a series of high balls into the Wigan area, but these did gain some success as Brown was clearly struggling in the conditions and following one corner the Latics team were grateful to Hinnigan who was able to clear the ball off the goal-line.

Just before half-time French was booked by the referee for an over-zealous challenge on Jeff Wright.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 0-0 Doncaster Rovers.                                               

The game was being fiercely contested but it was Latics who had the edge in midfield and Peacock was by far the busier of the two keepers. On 51 minutes Wigan got the goal that their dominance deserved, but they had to depend on a defender to score it.  Noel Ward, the Northern Ireland defender  had been a huge physical presence in both boxes and his aerial power was the key to the opening goal. A Purdie corner was taken short to Moore, and the ex-Port Vale playmaker curled in an inviting cross that WARD diverted into the net.

Another corner a few minutes later saw Ward again displaying his aerial power as he thudded a powerful header against the woodwork, with the keeper beaten. Brownbill, Corrigan and Moore were causing lots of problems for the Doncaster defenders and Moore was guilty of a glaring miss when he fired against the bar from 12 yards with the goal gaping. Doncaster continued to battle hard and Wigan so nearly came to rue their poor finishing.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 1-0 Doncaster Rovers.

Attendance; 5,788

Scorers; Ward (51);

Team; WIGAN—Brown; Smart, Fretwell, Ward, Hinnigan; Corrigan, Wright, Gore, Purdie; Brownbill, Moore; Unused Sub; Crompton;

DONCASTER ROVERS—Peacock; Reed, Hemsley, Bradley, Taylor; Lally, Habbin, Lewis, Laidlaw; Owen, French; Sub; Cox (for Lewis);

Referee; Mr. D. W. Civil (Birmingham)