Report by SJG

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs LEYTON ORIENT

 2^nd April 2026

A GAME OF TWO HALVES AS NERVOUS LATICS MAKE A POINT.

A Thursday night victory would have been a significant step towards securing safety and would set things up nicely ahead of Wigan’s Easter Monday trip to Northampton Town. Home form has been a major factor in the recent upturn in Latics fortunes with the team having won four of their last five league outings at the Brick Community Stadium, and whilst they were eager to continue that progress against Leyton Orient the challenge was always going to be far from straightforward. Orient, managed by Richie Wellens, are also battling at the wrong end of the table and arrived in strong form, having won four of their last five matches.  Gary Caldwell made three changes from the side that last took the field against Reading, with James Carragher, Matt Smith and Dara Costelloe replacing Llyton Chapman, Owen Moxon and Harrison Bettoni.

Wigan were on top right from the off as they looked to get in behind the Leyton Orient defence and cause problems through the pace of Joe Taylor and Costelloe. It was Costelloe who was heavily involved in the build-up to Latics' first attack, racing past Jack Simpson before whipping a cross into the area. The ball was just behind Taylor and Will Dennis dove to palm the ball out and into the path of Weir, who struck at goal, but he saw his effort blocked.                                                                                    

Dom Ballard was Orient's biggest threat, but he was being well marshalled by the returning Carragher, before Sam Tickle claimed a corner and set Taylor free, who was bursting forward. Wright picked up the scraps before switching play to Jensen Weir, who took one touch but fired over the bar.                                                                                                           

With the clock ticking ever closer to the interval, Latics pushed hard in search of the opener, which almost arrived through Costelloe when he met Fraser Murray's cross from the left with a glancing header, only to see the ball rise over the bar and out of play.                        

The visitors did manage to register the first shot on target for either side. Orient broke quickly and Morris linked with Abdulai who laid the ball back to Morris on the edge of the area for a first-time strike at goal which forced Tickle into a smart save after a deflection.  

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 0-0 Leyton Orient.

Although Latics were by far the better side in the first period with a total of twelve shots being registered, they failed to work the goalkeeper, and this was to prove decisive as after the restart Leyton Orient reshuffled their formation and gained the ascendancy. The visitors created the first chance of the second half when Demetri Mitchell was allowed to run forward, before cutting back onto his left foot and arrowing a shot towards the top corner, but Tickle was equal to it and punched away.

In a game where chances were ‘at a premium’, the visitors did create another opportunity when a ball over the top of the Latics backline found Ballard through on goal, where he looked to check back inside before going back on the outside to strike left footed towards goal, but Tickle was well positioned and palmed the effort over the bar.

Wigan rang the changes as they refreshed their attack as they probed for that crucial goal, but they never rediscovered that earlier edge and the game finally fizzled out with both sides determined to hold onto the point and not prepared to gamble for the win.

Latics did force one late chance when a Hungbo cross was spilled by a diving Dennis but Vickers was unable to hook the shot onto the target and it looped over the crossbar.             

A game of two halves would be a fair assessment of what was witnessed at the Brick as the referee brought an end to proceedings at the Brick, with full attention now switching to Easter Monday and Northampton Town.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 0-0 Leyton Orient.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Attendance; 9,239

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

Leyton Orient (3-4-2-1) ---- Dennis; Forrester, Happe, Simpson; Archibald, Bakinson, Abdulai, Morris; Mitchell, Wellens; Ballard; Subs--- Cahill (G), Craig, Matthews, Casey (for Simpson), Perkins (for Mitchell), O’Neill (for Bakinson), El Mizouni (for Wellens).

Referee; Mr. Tom Reeves (Coventry)