Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

NORTHAMPTON TOWN vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

3^rd May 2025

WIGAN MAKE IT EIGHT UNBEATEN TO FINISH ON A HIGH NOTE.

Latics left it late for the second successive game after Dale Taylor's 96th minute equaliser snatched a point after a 1-1 draw to Northampton Town at Sixfields Stadium on the final day.

Ryan Lowe opted to make three changes from the midweek draw at Burton Albion, with captain Jason Kerr, Luke Robinson, and Ronan Darcy replacing Toby Sibbick, Jon Mellish, and Owen Dale in the starting line-up.

Sam Tickle came up with a big save inside the first five minutes after a free kick from the right was curled in and after a touch from the striker, our number one somehow got a hand to the ball, reaching down low to his left to keep it out.

At the other end, good play from Darcy and Robinson created a chance for Jonny Smith at the back post, but his shot was saved by Lee Burge.

Latics were building pressure before the hosts hit Lowe’s men on the counter attack following a Wigan corner. Nesta Guinness-Walker broke and played in FOSU who checked inside and found the far corner with a well struck shot.

The Tics looked to respond with a succession of further corners, one of which resulted in Smith having a deflected effort loop wide and we continued to push until the break, but went in a goal down.

Half Time; Northampton Town 1-0 Wigan Athletic.

Lowe sent his Latics troops out early for the second half looking for a response and Wigan quickly forced the first chance after the restart but Robinson’s deflected shot went straight into the hands of Burge.

Dale Taylor, fresh from winning the ‘Player of the year award’ on Thursday night, jinked his way through before playing Asamoah in, but he was flagged for offside.

Jason Kerr then had a header cleared off the line following another Latics corner as Mitch Pinnock diverted the ball over the crossbar. Wigan were now dominating play and Taylor reacted quickly to flick a near post free-kick wide before he again fed Asamoah, who’s effort took a deflection and nearly wrong-footed the home keeper.

Lowe introduced young K’Marni Miller from the bench and his wicked cross from the left rattled the outside of the post as the game headed into 11 minutes of added time.

Just like on Tuesday night, Latics left it late, very late, as TAYLOR pounced in the box to nod home James Carragher’s deflected shot in the sixth minute of time added on.

There was still time for Carragher to fire an effort over the bar and then, deep in stoppage time, Aimson was shown a straight red for a challenge on substitute goalkeeper James Dadge as he tried to get on the end of a dangerous low cross.

Full Time; Northampton Town 1-1 Wigan Athletic.

Scorer; Taylor (90+6); Fosu (33);

Attendance; 7,591

Teams; WIGAN— (4-3-2-1) Tickle; Carragher, Aimson, Kerr, L. Robinson; Adeeko, Weir, Darcy; Dale; J. Smith, Asamoah; Taylor; Subs: --- Watson, Miller (for L. Robinson), Mellish (for Weir), Sze (for Darcy), McManaman (for J. Smith), McHugh, Sibbick;

NORTHAMPTON TOWN--- (3-4-3) Burge; Odimayo, Dyche, Guinness-Walker, McGowan; Perry, Taylor, Pinnock; Fosu, Costelloe, McGeehan; Subs: --- Dadge (for Burge), Mbete (for Odimayo, Magloire (for McGowan), Hondermarck (for Perry), Brough (for Taylor), Wilson, Eyoma;

Referee; Mr. Neil Hair (Cambridgeshire)