Luton Town 1 Wigan Athletic 1 - Saturday 26th October 2002

10 men Latics earn valuable point

Report by John Patrick Heeley

Wigan Athletic earned a valuable point at Luton to keep them top of Division Two thanks to a late goal from skipper Jason De Vos just as Aaron Skelton's 24th minute strike looked to have given the home side their sixth straight league victory.

Paul Jewell kept with the side that defeated Stockport County at the JJB Stadium the previous weekend with his only changes coming amongst his substitutes with goalkeeper Dave Beasant, signed on a non contract basis the day before, replacing 16-year-old Ryan Yeomans on the bench and the inclusion of Scott Green with Mike Flynn missing out.

Luton had the better of the opening exchanges with Joe Kinnear's side passing the ball about well and looking every bit a match for top of the table Wigan who just couldn't get a proper grip on the game for the first 20 minutes or so.

Aaron Skelton saw a shot blocked as early as the first minute and at the other end all Wigan could show from the early action were a couple of ambitious long distance efforts from Nathan Ellington and a Neil Roberts shot in the 14th minute was deflected behind for a corner.

A well worked move down the right wing saw Luton take the lead after 23 minutes with leading scorer Steve Howard heading the ball to strike partner Andrew Fotiadis who raced to the byeline before delivering a short ball to Peter Holmes who in turn sent it over to the far post where AARON SKELTON crept in to stab home as Wigan keeper John Filan scrambled across his line in vain to clear.

Tony Dinning twice sent in shots from distance as Wigan went in search of the equaliser and Chris Coyne wasted an opportunity to stretch his side's lead when he headed wide from a corner just before the half hour mark.

Lee McCulloch went close with one of his attempts, hitting a shot just over the crossbar after 36 minutes and 5 minutes later Neil Roberts was denied by a fine save from Luton's French keeper Cedric Berthelin.

Filan had to be at his best to prevent leading scorer Steve Howard from adding to his tally for the season with a full stretch dive to tip the ball around the post and behind for a corner in the 44th minute.

The woodwork denied McCulloch his fourth goal of the season as the first half came to a close with the Scot cracking the foot of the post after he had collected a right wing cross from Nicky Eaden and Gary Teale saw his shot from 20 odd yards collected comfortably by the Luton keeper.

The second half saw Wigan virtually camped in the Luton half of the field although things could have been far worse for the visitors if Filan had pulled of a couple of superb saves as Luton hit them on the break.

Ellington chipped a ball onto the bar just over 5 minutes after the restart and two minutes later was joined up front by Andy Liddell with Gary Teale making way.

Wigan continued to pile on the pressure and a couple of minutes after Liddell entered the fray Roberts beat his marker to head the ball narrowily wide from an Eaden centre.

Wigan were reduced to 10 men with 5 minutes of normal time remaining when Matt Jackson, who had already received a yellow card early in the first half for a foul on Steve Howard, sent the same man tumbling on the half way line and was promptly shown another yellow followed by a read and an early bath for the defender who began his professional career at Kenilworth Road in 1990.

From the resulting free kick Steve Howard sent a header towards the top corner but Filan was again on form to get a glove on it and behind for a corner.

Filan's save proved crucial as Wigan were on level terms moments later with JASON DE VOS rising at the pos to head home a Steve Millan free kick.

Wigan continued to press forward as the final seconds ticked away but this time looking for the winner but in the end had to settle for the draw which five minutes earlier looked to be out of their reach.