Report by SJG

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

PORT VALE vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

9^th January 1979

PORT VALE PUT THE SKIDS UNDER LATICS.

Vale Park in Burslem, when it was first developed in the 1950’s had been rather grandiosely nicknamed the ‘Wembley of the North’.  Unfortunately, the money and the ambition ran out before the initial vision of an 80,000-capacity stadium could be finished and a rather more modest (but still impressive) stadium arose.

The playing surface was one of the widest in the Football League but on this freezing cold Tuesday night it was rock hard and hardly conducive to good passing football.

The ground-staff had done well to get the game on and it was in doubt until just before kick-off. Wigan had last visited Burslam on a similar wintry night in 1969 for an F. A. Cup replay and only long serving Ian Gillibrand remained of the team that played that day, and he failed to make the starting line-up that saw only one change with Joe Hinnigan missing out with flu and Neil Davids taking his place.

The conditions played their part in the opening goal. A long ball over the top caught out Ward, who was slow to turn on the icy pitch, and Bernie WRIGHT was able to get onto the ball, hold off a challenge and slide his shot under the advancing Grew. Port Vale continued to look the more at ease with the conditions and the more likely, but Latics did have their moments, one of which saw full back Smart run past two men but as goalkeeper Dance came to meet him he rushed his shot and it flew well wide of the goal.

Half Time; Port Vale 1-0 Wigan Athletic

The snack bars did a roaring trade in Soup and Bovril at the break as the supporters tried to ward off the evening chill and on 65 minutes the Vale fans warmed their hands as they applauded a fine strike by Bobby TODD , he checked inside from the wing before firing home past a stranded Latics keeper.

Brownbill replaced Purdie as Latics tried to add some physicality to their attack and the ploy worked as on 82 minutes the busy substitute was upended in the penalty box and Jeff WRIGHT slotted home the resulting spot kick.

Wigan poured forward and four minutes later Corrigan squared a perfect cross for Moore who slid the ball home, only for the referee to rule out the goal for a rather dubious offside decision.

Manager Ian McNeill was perplexed by the decision but his protestations were in vain and Latics returned home pointless, having missed a chance to steal a march on their promotion rivals.

Full Time; Port Vale 2-1 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Wright (2), Todd (65); Wright (83, pen);

Attendance; 3,746

Team; WIGAN (4-4-2)—Grew; Smart, Fretwell, Ward, Davids; Corrigan, Wright, Gore, Purdie; Houghton, Moore; Sub; Brownbill (for Purdie);

PORT VALE (4-4-2) —Dance; Keenan, Bentley, Delgado, Harris; Hawkins, Elsby, Bromage, Proudlove; Todd, Wright; Sub; Sinclair (for Proudlove);

Referee; Mr K. Baker (Rugby)