Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

ROTHERHAM UNITED vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

 23^rd August 2025

MULLIN WITH LATE LEVELLER TO GAIN A WELL-DESERVED POINT.

Wigan Athletic earned their first away point of the 2025/26 Sky Bet League One campaign with a 2-2 draw at Rotherham United.

In a topsy-turvy game at the AESSEAL New York Stadium, Ryan Trevitt's first-half strike, which entered the net courtesy of an unlucky Rotherham defender was cancelled out by strikes from Shaun McWilliams and Martin Sherif. The home side looked destined to claim all three points but late substitute Paul Mullin had not read the script and his firm header rescued a point for Ryan Lowe's Latics.

Latics travelled to South Yorkshire hoping to positively respond to their narrow defeat at Luton Town in midweek. 

The mood in camp had remained upbeat after the midweek loss and a trip to one of Wigan’s luckier grounds provided a great opportunity to record a morale boosting away win.

The manager reverted to the same starting side that defeated Peterborough United last weekend and he was looking for another positive result to help his side climb the table.

Rotherham were looking to record their first win since the opening day and it was the home side who flexed their muscles first by unleashing an aerial assault on Latics. Denzel Hall's venomous cross was half-cleared into the path of Joe Powell, whose 20-yard strike was travelling, and Callum Wright put his head where it hurts to prevent the strike from troubling Sam Tickle. At the other end, a well-executed corner routine found Hungbo in space on the edge of the area, but the wing-back was unable to punish his former side as his curling effort turned out to be comfortable for Cameron Dawson in the home goal.

Lining up against his fellow 2023/24 Sky Bet League One Portsmouth title-winners Joe Rafferty and Sean Raggett, Saydee was a real outlet for Latics during the early stages of the game as he used his physical attributes to bring others into play and retain possession in the final third. 

Hungbo was presented with another opportunity with 10 minutes on the clock after the Millers failed to deal with a Murray right-sided cross. The wing-back found enough time and space to unleash a shot but from a tight angle it never really looked like beating Dawson and the keeper saved with aplomb.

The chances kept on coming for both Latics and Hungbo, with the wing-back timing his run perfectly to meet another Murray delivery, but again he was unable to bundle the ball home from inside the six-yard box.

While the Millers tested Tickle through a Jordan Hugill header and a Dan Gore strike, Latics saw their first-half dominance pay dividends three minutes before the break. Murray used his intelligence to find the run of the Trevitt, who raced behind the defence, and fired his effort home via the help of a ricochet off the unlucky RAGGETT.

Half Time; Rotherham United 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

Latics began the second half as they finished the first, with Wright almost making it two in front of the travelling Tics, but he unfortunately was unable to control the flight of Trevitt's fierce cross, and his strike sailed over the bar.

The home side had made a number of tactical changes at the break and the introduction of Etete and McWilliams served to add more threat to their attacks. Resolute last-ditch defending from captain Jason Kerr and Morgan Fox denied two goal-scoring opportunities, but the hosts found themselves level on the hour mark when MCWILLIAMS' strike from the edge of the area travelled through a sea of bodies and found the bottom corner.

Tickle had to come to Latics' rescue with 12 minutes remaining, denying SHERIF a goal on his debut, but that relief was only temporary as, in the 80^th minute, the loan striker netted to turn the match around. 

With the away side looking destined to fall to their second away defeat of the week, two of Latics' substitutes combined to score the leveller. Murray was again involved, as his corner was headed on by Asamoah and MULLIN was there to head home to send the travelling Tics into delirium.

Wigan nearly grabbed the win in injury time when Mullin found himself in space again after a well disguised through ball by Asamoah but Dawson was quick to close the angles and was able to block the shot.

Full Time: Rotherham United 2-2 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Raggett (OG, 42), Mullin (88); McWilliams (60), Sherif (80);

Attendance; 8,200

Wigan Athletic (3-5-2) --- Tickle; Aimson, Kerr, Fox; Wright, Murray, Trevitt, Francois, Hungbo; Saydee, Costelloe; Subs--- Watson (G), Weir (for Trevitt), Mullin (for Weir), Asamoah (for Saydee), Adeeko (for Wright),  Sessegnon (for Aimson), J. Smith;

Rotherham United (3-1-4-2) ---- Dawson; Rafferty, Raggett, James; Kelly; Powell, Gore, Kaleta, Hall; Hugill, Sherif; Subs--- Cann (G), Martha (for Kaleta), Etete (for Hugill), Holmes (for Hall), McWilliams (for Kelly), Yearwood (for Gore), McGuckin;

Referee; Mr. Oliver Langford (West Midlands)