Report by SJG

FRIENDLY

OLDHAM ATHLETIC vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

16^th July 2022

SECOND HALF COMEBACK GIVES WIGAN A DESERVED WIN.

Wigan produced an excellent second-half comeback to overcome Oldham Athletic in their fourth pre-season friendly. Second-half goals from James McClean, Callum Lang and Curtis Tilt prove to be the difference in Latics’ pre-season friendly

Hallam Hope had given the home side the lead with a composed finish, but three goals in 11 second-half minutes from James McClean, Callum Lang and Curtis Tilt helped Latics record their fourth successive victory.

On the back of their assured victories against Bamber Bridge, Bolton Wanderers and Liverpool, it was the visitors who flexed their muscles first when Humphrys did brilliantly to work his way out of his congested area and pulled it back to Shinnie, but the central midfielder was unable to connect fully with his effort.

Just two minutes later, Shinnie was involved again when he threaded Magennis through with a lovely pass, but a last-ditch challenge from Liam Hogan prevented the Northern Ireland international from firing on goal.

Despite Latics looking the most likely to take the lead during the infancy of the encounter, it was the home side who broke parity in the 22nd minute. HOPE latched onto a dangerous through ball, before lifting the ball over the onrushing Amos and tapping home into the empty net. 

Latics responded well to conceding, and almost hit back through Aasgaard when he cut inside and curled an effort from the left-hand side, but his shot deflected behind for a corner that came to nothing.

The next significant opportunity, however, fell to the home side when Jack Stobbs curled a first-time effort from the edge of the area towards goal, but thankfully for Latics, his effort went over the crossbar.

Power had one final chance for Latics on the stroke of half-time as he looked to replicate his stunning goal at Boundary Park in the Papa John’s Trophy, but this time, his effort was expertly blocked by the wall. 

Half Time; Oldham Athletic 1-0 Wigan Athletic.

Latics made four changes ahead of the second half, with Jamie Jones, McClean, Will Keane and Charlie Wyke entering the fray for Amos, Pearce, Humphrys and Magennis.

The substitutions made an instant impact at Boundary Park, as McClean’s dangerous cross was only just diverted away before McGrath could meet it at the far post. 

Power was the next to threaten for the visitors as the ball sat up invitingly for him to hit first time from the edge of the area, but his effort flew just wide of the post.

After battling hard to find a leveller Latics survived a big let-off at the other end when Mike Fondop could only glance his header wide of the mark from a left-sided corner.

The visitors did get the goal that their pressure deserved in the 64th minute through McClean. Shinnie’s outstanding tackle won the ball back for Latics in the final third, and Wyke held up the ball superbly before sliding through MCCLEAN, who confidently stroked his effort into the bottom corner. 

In order for each squad member to gain vital minutes ahead of the upcoming 2022/23 Sky Bet Championship campaign, more changes followed after McClean’s leveller with Tilt, Darikwa, Scott Smith and Lang coming on for Bennett, Whatmough, McGrath and Power.

Lang’s contribution to the game was immediate as he gave Latics the lead in the 72nd minute against his former club. McClean continued to cause problems down the left-hand side and his outstanding cross was on point for LANG to power home into the top corner.

The goals did not stop there, and the Latics supporters were back on their feet celebrating a third just two minutes later. McClean was involved once again, as his dangerous corner was bundled into the back of the net from close range by TILT.

Latics really began to enjoy themselves at Boundary Park, and Shinnie almost capped off his impressive individual performance with a goal in the 78th minute, but his low effort from the edge of the area was gathered by Jayson Leutwiler.

To their credit, Oldham Athletic almost pulled a goal back in the dying stages when a loose pass out of the Latics defence was capitalised on by Junior Luamba, but the forward could only pull his effort wide of the target from close range.

For Latics, it was another productive afternoon’s work as they gained some more invaluable minutes and held on to record their fourth straight victory in pre-season.

Full Time; Oldham Athletic 1-3 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Hope (21); McClean (64), Lang (72), Tilt (75);

Attendance; 1,200 (est)

WIGAN (5-3-2) -- Amos; McGrath, Whatmough, Kerr, Bennett, Pearce; Power, Shinnie, Aasgaard; Humphrys, Magennis; Subs; Jones (for Amos), Lang (for McGrath), Darikwa (for Whatmough), Hughes (for Kerr), Tilt (for Bennett), McClean (for Pearce), Smith (for Power), Carragher (for Shinnie), Robinson (for Aasgaard), Keane (for Humphrys), Wyke (for Magennis), Tickle, Sze;

OLDHAM (4-4-2) – Norman; Burgess, Francis-Angol; Hogan, Hope, McGahey, Porter, Sheron, Stobbs, Trialist, Windass; Subs; Couto, Da Silva, Edwards, Fondop-Talum, Kilner, Leutwiler, Luamba, Simms, Sutton, Trialist, Turner, Vaughan;

Referee; Not Known