Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE

BLACKPOOL vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

6^th April 1993

CONTROVERSIAL PENALTY SETS POOL ON WAY TO VICTORY

This Lancashire derby was a bona-fide six pointer in the battle to avoid the drop with Wigan sat in 21^st and Pool sat one place higher but having played a game more.                                        

A healthy crowd of 5,096 turned out to watch the two sides lock horns at Bloomfield Road.                    

Wigan manager Dave Philpotts named an unchanged team, and Blackpool made two changes with Watson replacing Leitch and Mitch Cook replacing the injured Dave Burgess at full back.                                                            

Roared on by a sizeable way following Wigan began brightly and created the first chance when a deep cross by Griffiths found the head of the incoming Garnett at the far post, but his glanced header passed just wide of goal.  

Blackpool gradually settled into the match and on twenty minutes a well delivered corner found the head of Bamber who headed back across goal to Sinclair, but his headed effort lacked power and Johnson was able to hack the ball to safety. Dave Bamber was proving a handful for the Wigan defence and when another set piece was won by the Pool striker it fell to Sinclair, he slipped a short pass back to the number nine and his scooped shot went just beyond the post with Adkins well beaten.                                   

Latics continued to look bright going forward and when Griffiths and White worked the ball down the right the resulting low cross caused panic in the home defence with Dickens in the home goal happy to see Watson clear the danger before Daley could pounce.

On 42 minutes Wigan produced the opening goal by adopting a route one approach. Adkins kicked long and Daley rose highest to flick the ball on to GRIFFITHS who had timed his run perfectly and he outpaced his marker and as the keeper advanced, he slid the ball into the home goal.                                                   

Wigan nearly grabbed a second when White and Griffiths linked down the right before crossing but Dickens did well to collect under pressure from Daley.         

Half Time; Blackpool 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

Blackpool piled on the pressure after the restart with Eyres forcing Adkins to produce a low diving save at his near post with a shot from outside the box and after ten minutes the pressure finally told when Skipper slid into a challenge on Bamber and the referee pointed to the spot. EYRES was made to wait as the Wigan players protested the decision, but he was not affected by the delay and made no mistake as he fired his effort low into the corner. Latics dusted themselves down and came again and when White produced a strong run over the halfway line, he was able to feed in Griffiths who checked inside past his marker and let fly only to see his effort magnificently saved by the diving keeper.                                     

The game became a bit of an arm wrestle in midfield with neither team able to gain dominance and it took a special finish by Eyres in the 80^th minute to separate the teams. A scrappy period of head tennis was ended when Davies lifted a ball over the Wigan back line and EYRES produced a first time shot with the outside of his left boot that curled just enough to go in off the far post with Adkins comprehensively beaten.                                

Powell came on for Pilling as Latics tried to level the game but Blackpool now had something to hold onto, and they slowed the game down by taking their time with every set play and Wigan were left to rue their missed chances and the game changing penalty decision.

Full Time; Blackpool 2-1 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Griffiths (42); Eyres (56, pen), (80).

Attendance; 5,096

Team; WIGAN ATHLETIC—Adkins, Appleton, Tankard, Johnson, Garnett, Skipper, Jones, Pilling, Daley, White, Griffiths. Subs—Powell (for Pilling), Robertson.

BLACKPOOL --- Dickens; Davies, Cook, Horner, Briggs; Gore, Watson, Bailey, Eyres; Sinclair, Bamber. Subs—Leitch (for Watson), Gouck (for Bailey).

Referee; Mr. Richard Poulain (Huddersfield)