Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

DONCASTER ROVERS vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

 13^th October 1979

BROWN SAVES LATICS FROM AN EVEN WORSE MAULING.

Manager McNeill added new boys McIvor and Methven to the starting XI for the first time but after 90 minutes the team were again well beaten and but for some heroics by Brown in the Wigan goal the margin of defeat could have been much worse.

Straight from kick off the Wigan side were under pressure as the lively Doncaster forwards piled on the pressure.

Latics offered little by way of attacking threat and a couple of attacking flurries apart they were reliant on dogged defending to keep a foothold in the game.

After only four minutes Brown was called into action as he dove full length to palm a shot by Lister over the crossbar.

Lister went close again a few minutes later but Brown produced a fine save to divert the low driven shot around the post.

Brown continued to be an effective final barrier as he saved well from Pugh and Dowd.

Somehow Latics made it to the break with the scoreline still blank.

Half Time; Doncaster Rovers 0-0 Wigan Athletic.

Early in the second half Brown saved well from Lally as he punched a well struck shot to safety. The relentless pressure eased briefly and Wigan nearly snatched an undeserved lead as first Gore and then Houghton saw close range efforts blocked by Shipley in the Rovers goal.

On 68 minutes the Doncaster onslaught finally found a route to goal as Lister played a fine pass in behind the Wigan defences and full-back SNODIN timed his run perfectly to burst onto the loose ball and poke a shot beyond the advancing Brown and into the Wigan goal.

Two minutes later and Lewis fired a low shot that thudded against Brown’s upright. Then on 77 minutes it was LEWIS again who this time found the bottom corner after a neat pass by Russell had found him in space in the penalty box.

On 80 minutes NIMMO was allowed far too much time and space as he eased his way past two defenders before stroking home the third goal.

Latics briefly struck back and Gore played a neat pass into the path of debutant MCIVOR who finished with aplomb.

Brown made two further saves to deny first Pugh and then Lister as Wigan threw men forward and left gaps in defence.

The final whistle saw Wigan record a fourth defeat in five games as the problems continued to mount for the beleaguered Ian McNeill.

Full time; Doncaster Rovers 3-1 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Snodin (68), Lewis (77), Nimmo (80); McIvor (89);

Attendance; 4,169

Team; WIGAN—Brown; McIvor, Hinnigan, Methven, Fretwell; Gore, Wright, Corrigan, Houghton; Brownbill, Moore; SUB; -- Urquhart (for Fretwell)

DONCASTER ROVERS--- Shipley; Russell, Snodin, Dowd, Lally; Lister, Pugh, Lewis, Bentley; Nimmo, Warboys; SUB; -- Flanagan (for Bentley)

Referee; Mr P. J. Richardson (Lincoln)