Report by SJG

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs STOCKPORT COUNTY.

17^th March 1979

WEAKENED COUNTY PROVE NO MATCH FOR LATICS.

Stockport were already struggling with a number of injuries so the last thing they needed was for a sudden snowfall on the Pennines to mean that three of their squad could not make it to Springfield Park in time for kick-off.

Latics spurned a golden chance to take an early lead when Hinnigan shot wide after a Purdie shot was blocked.

Ex-Everton keeper Dave Lawson was on top form and made a number of saves to keep the scoreline blank, he saved well from Wright who got on the end of a Brownbill cross and planted a firm header on goal.

Then Brownbill headed wide after a Gore cross found the Wigan man in space.

John Brown in the Latics goal was a virtual spectator and not even the presence of veteran midfield man (and manager) Mike Summerbee could conjure a decent scoring chance for the visitors.

The main danger for Latics was frustration as Lawson continued to perform heroics as he saved a Gore diving header and produced blocks to deny Brownbill, Moore and Wright.

Les Bradd in the County front-line was well contained by Ward and we reached the break goal-less.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 0-0 Stockport County.

Two goals in six second half minutes decided the game in Wigans favour. The first came from an Ian Purdie free-kick, he found Brownbill who showed good chest control as he brought the ball under his control and laid it back to WRIGHT who fired an unstoppable shot past Lawson from five yards.

Six minutes later and Moore teased the defenders as he jinked his way forward before picking out SMART who had made a rare foray forward and the right back drove the ball low and hard into the corner of the net. His celebration nearly turned into a lap of honour as he made the most of his moment in the limelight.

After the two-goal burst Wigan began to knock the ball around with increasing confidence and County never really looked like staging any sort of come-back.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 2-0 Stockport County.

Scorers; Wright (62), Smart (68);

Attendance; 7,610

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

STOCKPORT COUNTY (4-4-2) — Lawson; Thorpe, Rutter, Edwards, Park; Fogarty, Summerbee, Smith, Halford; Bradd, Lee; Sub; Connor (for Summerbee);

Referee; Mr J. E. Bray (Hinckley).

In the nights other big game Grimsby and Aldershot played out a 0-0 draw, while table topping Reading fell to their first home defeat of the season against Scunthorpe United.

Latics climbed into fifth spot and next up is a trip to Spotland to play lowly Rochdale in a re-arranged fixture from earlier in the season.