Report by SJG

FOOTBALL LEAGUE CUP

FIRST ROUND- SECOND LEG

CREWE ALEXANDRIA vs WIGAN ATHLETIC.

13^th August 1980

STORYBOOK ENDING FOR LAST GASP LATICS

Latics left it very, very late to grab the aggregate victory when a penalty shoot-out seemed inevitable. There were just sixty seconds left of extra time when Houghton darted into the Crewe area and was adjudged to have been unfairly upended.                                                    

The Crewe players protested vehemently and Prophett was booked for his histrionics. However, amid the chaos one man stayed calm and that was Tommy GORE who blasted home the penalty kick.                                                   

Crewe took the lead in the 18^th minute when Terry CONROY broke into the six-yard box and, having lost his marker, lifted Hunters low cross into the roof of the Wigan net.                        

The Railwaymen continued to control the first half as Wigan struggled to find any rhythm to their passing and Wigan had Brown to thank for the deficit only being the single goal at the break as he was called upon on a number of occasions to defuse potentially dangerous attacks.                                                                         

Half Time; Crewe Alexandria 1-0 Wigan Athletic.                                                                    

Latics began the second half in more assertive style and when Tierney got behind the defence to cross for Gore it was only a desperate goal-line clearance by Lewis that stopped the looped header from levelling the score.                                                                          

Lewis was on hand again barely a minute later to deflect a goal bound thunderbolt by Jeff Wright to safety with the keeper well beaten.                                                                           

In the 68^th minute another strong run by Wright made space and when his attempted through ball deflected off Lewis and into the path of HUTCHINSON the Scot lobbed the ball cleverly over Mulhearn and into the Crewe net.                                                                            

Wigan spurned more chances as Quinn twice fluffed his lines when well placed, and McMullan who replaced Quinn saw his effort blocked by Scott.                                                             

Two minutes later and Wigans defenders, for once, were caught off guard when giant centre-half Scott headed a neat through ball that CONROY collected and slid beyond BrownCrewe were now dominating the play and only the excellence of Brown in goal kept the Railwaymen at bay.                                                                                                                                   

Full time; Crewe Alexandria 2-1 Wigan Athletic.                                                                   

The game progressed into extra time but with Latics struggling to rediscover their passing rhythm it was Crewe who continued to have the better of the exchanges.                                

All that changed in the final minute of the tie when Latics were granted a somewhat fortuitous spot-kick and GORE netted to send Wigan through to the next round where they will play local rivals Preston North End.

After Extra Time; Crewe Alexandria 2-2 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Hutchinson (68), Gore (119, pen); Conroy (18), (70).

Attendance; 4,063

Team; WIGAN—Brown; Fretwell, Whittle, Methven, Davids; Gore, A. Quinn, Wright, Tierney; Hutchinson, Houghton; SUBS; McMullan (for A. Quinn).

CREWE ALEX. ---Mulhearn; Wilkinson, Lewis, Hunter, Scott; Prophett, McMahon, Guy, Bowers; Conroy, Pallios; SUBS; Mountford.

Referee; Mr. J. M. Warner (Wednesbury).