Report by SJG

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs CREWE ALEXANDRA

26^th December 1978

TOUGH GOING FOR LATICS AGAINST RESILIANT RAILWAYMEN.

The boxing day clash against lowly Crewe was the first home game of the month for the Latics, with the game against Torquay United falling foul of the weather along with last Saturdays’ trip to Port Vale.

The Wigan public turned out in force expecting a comfortable victory to keep the promotion challenge on track.

Crewe, under new management, came to defend in numbers and made it hard for a Latics side. Two banks of four sat deep and competed well all over the park.

Wigan dominated the ball but struggled to carve out clear cut chances against the well manned defence. On 23 minutes Houghton thought he had broken the deadlock, he slid a shot past the keeper and Moore chasing in rolled the ball into the net, only for the linesman’s flag to rule out the effort. If the goal had stood it may have given rise to a better more expansive game but instead the match settled back into its original pattern.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 0-0 Crewe Alexandra.

Wigan continued to huff and puff after the break but Rafferty in the visitors’ goal was at least kept a little busier.  The new Crewe player-manager, Warwick Rimmer, was leading by example with a strong showing in the back-line, but on the hour mark the important break-through arrived.  Tommy Gore let fly a trademark thunderbolt shot from fully 40 yards, but it was going wide of the target until HOUGHTON deftly (or possibly fortunately) redirected it with a neat back heel, giving the keeper no chance.

Following the goal the game petered out, Wigan were happy to keep possession and run down the clock and Crewe were bereft of any attacking ideas and rarely troubled the Wigan goal.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 1-0 Crewe Alexandra

Scorers; Houghton (60);

Attendance; 7,586

Team; WIGAN (4-4-2)—Grew; Smart, Fretwell, Ward, Hinnigan; Corrigan, Wright, Gore, Purdie; Houghton, Moore; Sub not used; Brownbill;

CREWE ALEXANDRA (4-4-2) —Rafferty; Wilkinson, Dulson, Bowles, Rimmer; Roberts, Davies, Warnock, Robertson; Purdie, Nelson; Sub; Nicholls (for Purdie);

Referee; Mr K. Styles (Barnsley).

The local press are now starting to get excited about Wigan’s prospects for the season. The next home game against high flying Aldershot will be a real test of the teams’ promotion credentials. Noel Ward, Frank Corrigan and Peter Houghton are all undergoing treatment for knocks but it is hoped that all will pass late fitness tests.

Latics are hoping to emulate Hereford United, who gained promotion in their first season following election to the League.