Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

SUNDERLAND vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

 7^th August 2021

BLACK CATS FIGHT BACK TO TURN TABLES ON THE TICS.

Wigan Athletic kicked off their League One campaign on a losing note after Sunderland came from behind to win at the Stadium of Light.

Latics started the game well with new skipper Tendayi Darkiwa, Gwion Edwards and Max Power - one of three players returning to their old stomping ground - having shots blocked in the space of five seconds during a mad scramble in the home box.

The visitors did hit the front on 16 minutes, when Will Keane's stinging shot hit the post, and EDWARDS followed up to guide the ball into the far corner. However, Gwion Edwards' early goal wasn't enough for Latics to get anything on the opening day. Edwards had scored for Ipswich against Latics on the opening day of last season, but sadly the lead didn't last long

Barely a minute later Ross Stewart went to ground in the Wigan box under a challenge from Darikwa, and referee Bobby Madley pointed straight to the spot.

Aiden MCGEADY sent Ben Amos - preferred to Jamie Jones in goal - the wrong way to level the scores.

Latics then had to withstand a spell of concerted pressure from the home side, with Tom Pearce producing a fabulous block to divert a goal-bound effort past the post, with Amos on the deck.

At the other end, Power fired over from a good position, but the visitors would have been relatively happy to go into the break on level terms.

Half Time; Sunderland 1-1 Wigan Athletic.

That all changed within eight minutes of the restart, with STEWART finding himself free to nod home an in-swinging right-wing corner.

Shortly afterwards Latics then had a massive let-off when Lynden Gooch's curling shot hit the crossbar and flew away to safety.

 Wigan did produce a rare sortie into Sunderland territory and Edwards, having found space, elected not to play in Charlie Wyke and instead he chose to shoot from 20 yards and his effort was parried away to safety. Wyke was finding himself the target for plenty of abuse from the home fans, having turned down a new deal to join Latics over the summer.

Latics threw on new-boys Jordan Jones, Stephen Humphrys and Jordan Cousins in the final quarter in a desperate attempt to get back into the game, but the home side were able to see out the closing stages - including six added minutes - without too much alarm.

Full Time; Sunderland 2-1 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Edwards (15); McGeady (17, pen), Stewart (53);

Attendance; 31.549

Wigan Athletic (4-2-3-1) --- Amos (G); Darikwa, Whatmough, Long, Pearce; Naylor, Power; Edwards, Keane, Lang; Wyke; Subs--- J Jones (G), J Jones (for Keane), Humphrys (for Edwards), Cousins (for Naylor), Aasgaard, Massey, Robinson;

Sunderland (4-2-3-1) Burge (G); Neill, Doyle, Flanagan, Winchester; O’Nien, Evans; McGeady, Embleton, Gooch; Stewart; Subs---Patterson (G), O’Brien (for McGeady), Diamond (for Winchester), Wright (for Embleton), Grigg, Hawkes, Pritchard;

Referee; Mr. Robert Madley (West Yorkshire)