Wigan Athletic 0 Port Vale 1 - Saturday 27th October 2001

Unlucky Latics fail against Vale

Report by John Patrick Heeley

Wigan went back to losing ways as they went down to their fourth home defeat of the season at the hands of Port Vale although it wasn't for the want of trying.

Derek Stillie hardly had a thing to do in goal throughout the game with Wigan squandering several decent chances on goal.

Skipper Arjan De Zeeuw again played through the pain barrier to continue his ever present record at the JJB Stadium at the expense of youngster Ian Pendlebury who was dropped from the squad. Apart from that the side remained the same that won at Tranmere midweek.

Wigan started the game well and had the better of the opening encounters and Ian Kilford headed over from third of five corners in the opening twelve minues.

But the first real chance on goal didn't come until the 16th minute when he combined well with Simon Haworth to race clear into the area with only Mark Goodlad to beat but his shot was blocked by the Vale keeper and no one was around to mop up the loose ball.

Moments later it was Lee Ashcroft's turn to have a crack on goal when he sent a curling shot across the face of goal but Andy Liddell couldn't quite reach it at the far post as it went out for a goal kick.

The visitors took the lead against the run of play in the 21st minute when unmarked New Zealand international striker CHRIS KILLEN, currently on loan from Manchester City, got his head on the end of a Neil Brisco cross from the edge of the area for his 5th goal in 6 games since arriving at the club.

Minutes later Simon Haworth almost pulled Wigan back into the game with a clever lob from the edge of the box but Goodlad somehow managed to stretch to snatch the ball in mid air as it looked to have him beat.

After 34 minutes Stephen Brooker went close for the visitors after good work from Sean McClare, starting his first game since arriving from Barnsley, had provided him with the opportunity.

Two minutes later Peter Kennedy tested the Vale keeper with an optimistic shot from long range.

Wigan were pushing forward in numbers in an attempt to level matters but to no avail and were nearly caught out on the break with Wigan born Neil Brisco ultimately firing narrowly over the bar before Sean McClare tested Derek Stillie with a powerful shot on 40 minutes.

With time running out in the first half Haworth wasted another chance when he put his shot wide of the right post when he should have done far better.

Michael Cummins headed wide from a Chris Killen cross on 52 minutes before being brought down on the edge of the penalty area earning a free kick in a dangerous position.

Brooker took the resulting kick which was blocked by the Wigan defence allowing McClare to fire a shot on goal from the rebound which went straight to Stillie.

Wigan continued the bombard the Port Vale area and Haworth was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet after 58 minutes when he headed a Peter Kennedy corner over the bar before a thuderous Tony Dinning shot was blocked by the one of his own players in the visitors area.

Haworth then went close again when Matt Jackson laid a ball off to him in the area but the Wigan number 9 was denied by the in form Goodlad.

With only twelve minutes remaining Port Vale had a golden chance of increasing their lead when McPhee got the better of Stillie but put his shot from near the byeline inches wide of the far post.

Paul Dalglish was introduced to the fray two minutes later as a replacement for Ian Kilford and his impact on the game was plain for everyone to see, using his pace and agility to force his way down the right side of the field on more than one occasion. The first forcing Goodlad into putting his shot behind for a corner which was again sent over by Peter Kennedy only for McCulloch to head high over the bar.