Report by SJG

READING vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

 28^th March 2026

DEFENSIVE LAPSES RETURN TO RAMP UP PRESSURE.

Wigan Athletic left the Select Car Leasing Stadium disappointed after a 3-0 defeat against a Reading side who played with pace and purpose and made the most of their chances with clinical finishing in the penalty area.                                                                                                 

Gary Caldwell made one change to the starting XI with Callum Wright returning from his one game suspension to replace former Reading player Caylan Vickers.                                  

Wigan started the game quite brightly and looked comfortable in possession and lively in attack but that all changed on nine minutes when Latics lost possession far too easily and a simple lobbed ball over the back line evaded Chapman to allow Savage to lift a ball into the six-yard area and EHIBHATIOMHAN reacted quickest to power a header home from close range. Reading, managed by ex-Latics box Leam Richardson were doing the simple things well and their pacey wingers always seemed to carry a threat going forward. The home side managed to find their second goal of the game when a long ball upfield wasn't dealt with by Latics and Savage was allowed to run in behind the back line and clip a ball back towards the edge of the six-yard box, where Will AIMSON, under pressure from Ehibhatiomhan looked to clear. However, the Wigan centre half, at full stretch, was unable to get the correct contact with the ball and he ended up turning the ball into the back of his own net.                         

Latics looked shell-shocked and their play became more and more disjointed with the strikers being starved of decent supply and trying to make the most of the few scraps that came their way.                                                                                                                             

Reading had another opportunity in front of goal when Ryan Nyambe raced down the right and found Daniel Kyerewaa at the back post for a first-time effort, which Aimson was able to block which allowed Tickle to collect the loose ball.

The introduction of Matt Smith and James Carragher at the break injected some renewed hope into Gary Caldwell's men, with Latics looking a lot more lively as they pushed higher up the pitch and worked the ball in the final third. However, just as in the first half, a goal from nowhere for Reading gave them their third of the afternoon and restored their control of proceedings. A corner into the front post area and when the ball was nodded back into the six-yard box it was EHIBHATIOMHAN who reacted the quickest to stab the ball over the line. Wigan did have the ball in the back of the net with five minutes to go, but as Jensen Weir set Caylan Vickers for a finish into the bottom corner, the lineman's flag rather harshly went up for offside. Having been denied Vickers went searching for a glimmer of hope for his side when he checked in from the right and sent a curling effort towards the top corner, but ex- Manchester United youngster Joel Pereira produced a fine diving save to tip the ball around the post.                                                                                                                             

Although it wasn't to be for Latics they do still know that their fate remains very much in their own hands and attention will turn to the busy Easter period and the remaining games where they will hope not to see any recurrence of the defensive frailties that cost them so dearly in this encounter.

Full Time; Reading 3-0 Wigan Athletic.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Scorers; Ehibhatiomhan (9), (63), Aimson (OG, 19).

Attendance; 11,981

Wigan Athletic (3-4-2-1) --- Tickle; Aimson, Kerr, Chapman; Murray, Moxon, Weir, Raphael; Bettoni, Wright; Taylor; Subs--- McManaman, Hungbo (for Bettoni), Carragher (for Chapman), Smith (for Moxon), Costelloe (for Raphael), Vickers (for Wright), Saydee.

Reading (3-4-2-1) ---- Pereira; O’Connor, Williams, Dorsett; Nyambe, Wing, Fraser, Kyerewaa; Savage, Doyle; Ehibhatiomhan; Subs--- Stevens (G), Burns, Ritchie, Keane (for Ehibhatiomhan), Yiadom (for Nyambe), Roberts (for Kyerewaa), Lane (for Doyle).

Referee; Mr. Steven Copeland (Merseyside)