Report by SJG

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

17^th February 1979

NOEL WARD TO THE RESCUE AS TOWN MAKE IT TOUGH.

The Wigan ground-staff again worked miracles to beat the big freeze and get the game on.  The Terriers, who had not won away all season got the perfect start when a cross by Bielby was only partially cleared to Fletcher who fed ROBINS and from eight yards he gave Brown no chance.

Ironically Ian Robins lived barely 200 yards from the Springfield Park ground and as a youngster was an avid Latics fan.

Latics responded well to the early set back and with Alan Crompton lively in attack they proceeded to pepper the Town goal and force the keeper, Allan Starling, to intervene on a number of occasions.

Houghton and Crompton both forced good saves, but as the pressure grew the Huddersfield defence dropped deeper and deeper and the leveller seemed almost inevitable.

Wigan had a firm hold of midfield and when Hinnigan pushed forward he supplied an accurate cross that caused panic in the box, Crompton miscued his shot and the ball fell to WARD who fired home.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 1-1 Huddersfield Town.

The second half began in much the same manner, with Town sitting deep in defence and taking no prisoners with a series of robust challenges.

Armstrong sent Purdie flying and the referee quickly booked the culprit to avoid things getting out of hand.

Starling continued to perform well in the Huddersfield goal but the winning goal always seemed just moments away and it finally arrived in the 85^th minute when Houghton got a crucial head on a Gore cross, then Corrigan headed the ball back across the face of goal to WARD who struck a fierce volley into the bottom corner.

The crowd of just under 7,500 went wild and the win was totally deserved as Wigan had pounded the Terriers for virtually all of the second period and played some good and attractive football, making light of the hard bobbly pitch.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 2-1 Huddersfield Town.

Scorers; Robins (9); Ward (42), (85);

Attendance; 7,420

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

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-4-2) —Starling; Brown, Sandercock, Hart, Sutton; Lillis, Fletcher, Armstrong, Bielby; Robins, Cowling; Sub; Holmes (for Lillis);

Referee; Mr J. Hunting (Leicester).