Report by SJG

FRIENDLY

ACCRINGTON STANLEY vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

 19^th July 2025

LATICS PRODUCE STRONG LATE SHOWING TO TURN GAME ON ITS HEAD.

Wigan Athletic gained more invaluable minutes under their belts ahead of the 2025/26 new campaign at Accrington Stanley on Saturday afternoon.

Ryan Lowe's side stepped up their pre-season preparations with a productive runout at the Wham Stadium against the Sky Bet League Two side, who are now managed by former Latics boss John Doolan. 

Trailing by two goals with 30 minutes left to play following Shaun Whalley's brace, Latics hit back with braces from Dara Costelloe and Asamoah Jr to ensure their unbeaten pre-season continued, and the travelling Tics went home happy.

It was Latics who flexed their muscles first in the pre-season encounter, with Fraser Murray showcasing a real glimpse of what he's capable of in the final third. After skipping past one man on the byline, Murray beat a further Accrington defender before finding Paul Mullin with a perfectly-weighted ball through. Mullin got a clean connection on his strike, but the angle was always against the frontman, and his effort passed by on the wrong side of the post. 

While Latics controlled the majority of possession, Accrington took the lead 11 minutes before the break. Tyrese Francois seemingly won a slide tackle in Latics' final third, but the ball unfortunately diverted to WHALLEY and the Stanley skipper drove forward before finding the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Accrington's opener naturally stunned the Tics, but Lowe's side were able to finish the half strongly and create several opportunities to draw level. Jon Mellish was somehow denied at point-blank range by Michael Kelly and Jensen Weir saw his fizzing effort fly into the side-netting on the stroke of half-time.

Half Time; Accrington Stanley 1-0 Wigan Athletic.

Latics started the second half in the same manner that they finished the first, coming close to levelling proceedings. Murray's set play from the right eventually found its way to Francois, who volleyed just over the crossbar. 

Shortly after, Accrington doubled their lead when WHALLEY found the back of the net from the penalty spot. Will Aimson was the man penalised for a foul on the home attacker.

The Gaffer made four changes just before the hour mark, and two of those substitutes combined to halve the deficit six minutes later. Callum McManaman forced the Accrington defender into giving up possession, before entering the area and putting it on a plate for COSTELLOE to slide home.

Roared on by the 600-plus Tics in attendance, what happened next was a real showing of grit and determination, as Latics turned the tide completely with two goals in three minutes. ASAMOAH brought the game back level with an emphatic finish from Jason Kerr's knockdown, before COSTELLOE put the Tics in front with a cool and confident penalty kick.

Accrington nearly levelled when Walton fired against an upright but ASAMOAH completed the scoring a minute before the full-time whistle, composing himself inside the area before blasting the ball beyond Ollie Wright in the Accrington goal.

While pre-season isn't about the results and getting vital minutes in the tank, the never-say-die attitude is something that the Tics will look to take into the 2025/26 campaign.

Full Time; Accrington Stanley 2-4 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Whalley (34), (54, pen); Costelloe (65), (79, pen), Asamoah Junior (76), (89);

Attendance; 1,141

Wigan Athletic (3-5-2) --- Tickle; Carragher, Kerr, Aimson; Murray, Francois, Weir, Mellish, J. Smith; Saydee, Mullin; Subs—Corran, Spinelli, Sessegnon (for Carragher), Darcy (for Murray), McManaman (for J. Smith), Brennan (for Mellish), Hungbo (for Francois), Costelloe (for Mullin), Asamoah (for Saydee), Graham (for Weir);

Accrington Stanley (4-4-2) --- Kelly; Sass, Grant, Rawson, Coyle; Whalley, B. Woods, Sinclair, Matthews; Caton, Brown; Subs--- Wright (for Kelly), Mooney (for Grant), Henderson (for Coyle), Trialist, Popoola (for Whalley), Martin (for Sinclair), Walton (for B. Woods), Smith, Conneely (for Matthews), Tunstall (for Caton), J. Woods (for Brown);

Referee; Mr. Paul Marsden (Lancashire)