Report by SJG

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

SCUNTHORPE UNITED vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

28^th April 1979

CLASSY LATICS EASE TO VICTORY

With promotion now only a mathematical possibility the pressure was off and Latics rediscovered some of their best flowing football to see off a dogged and determined home side.

Noel Ward was released for international duty and Fretwell and Davids paired up at the centre of defence and combined well to provide a good platform for the midfield that made a mockery of the hard bumpy surface.

Earl and Kilmore missed the best of the home sides chances while Latics, prompted by the excellent passing of Wright and the trickery of Purdie were only denied by the home keeper who saved well from Purdie on two separate occasions.

On the stroke of half time a fizzed cross by the Scottish winger flew across the goalmouth to the unmarked Moore but from barely three yards out he failed to hit the target.

Half Time; Scunthorpe United 0-0 Wigan Athletic.

The second half followed the same pattern, Latics looked solid in defence and in attack Brownbill and Moore probed to find the vital opening goal. Purdie found space out wide and his swerving shot flew narrowly over the bar.  Brownbill went close when he got a shot away following a goalmouth scramble, but the keeper’s legs proved an effective barrier and the chance was gone. Moore missed a golden chance after Brownbill had set up the opportunity and Corrigan and Gore both had strong shots saved by the Scunthorpe keeper.  Latics finally netted on 78 minutes when Curtis collected the ball deep in defence before breaking forward. The full back outpaced two Scunthorpe players before sliding a precise pass through for GORE and the midfielder lifted his shot over the advancing Crawford in the home goal.

Scunthorpe went in search of a leveller but Latics stood firm with Brown saving from Grimes and Couch and Latics thought they had grabbed a second goal just before the final whistle when Jeff Wright saw his shot pushed away by Crawford, Purdie collected the rebound and jinked past his markers before crossing for Brownbill to head the ball home from close range. The referee awarded the goal but the linesman raised his flag to rule off the effort.

Full Time; Scunthorpe United 0-1 Wigan Athletic

Scorers; Gore (78);

Attendance; 1.701

Team; WIGAN (4-4-2)—Brown; Curtis, Hinnigan, Davids, Fretwell; Corrigan, Wright, Gore, Purdie; Brownbill, Moore; Unused Sub; Smart

SCUNTHORPE UNITED (4-4-2) — Crawford; Czuczman, Peacock, Oates, Deere; Earl, Grimes, Kilmore, Gibson; Couch, Kavanagh; Sub; Hall for Gibson

Referee; Mr Clifford A. Maskell (Cambridge).

Barnsley seemed to be suffering from promotion jitters and with three of their remaining games against top sides the Latics manager was still talking positively and demanding two wins to try and grab an unlikely promotion spot, so it was time for one last push.