Report by SJG

CARABOU CUP

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs WYCOMBE WANDERERS

 23^rd September 2025

LIMP LATICS CRASH OUT AGAINST WYCOMBE SECOND STRING XI

If manager Ryan Lowe was hoping that his charges would produce a strong reaction to their derby day performance he was to be bitterly disappointed as on a warm Autumnal evening Latics produced another below par performance that saw them well beaten by a Wycombe side that had made eleven changes from the weekend.

Wigan made five changes from their outing at the weekend, with Jensen Weir, Raphael Borges Rodrigues, Callum Wright, Ollie Cooper, and Asamoah Jr coming in from the start at the Brick Community Stadium.

Latics were looking to progress into the last 16 of the competition for the first time since the 2012/13 season.

The Chairboys dominated the early possession but it was Latics' who engineered the first chance of the half when Dara Costelloe was played into space in the middle of the park, he raced down the left before squaring the ball into the path of Cooper, whose strike flew wide of the post.

The visitors then came close to opening the score with George Abbott's over-the-top ball looking to be on route to Bradley Fink before Sam Tickle snatched the chance out of thin air, a few minutes later and the visitors took a deserved lead when a fast counter ended with BOYD-MUNCE finding the net. The number eight received the ball on the edge of the Latics box, knocking it past Cooper before curling it home with precision. It took Latics until just before half-time to create an opportunity to level. Raphael drove forward down the right, dizzying his marker with his fast feet before fizzing a ball into the box. Morgan Fox's backheel rolled across the line, with Will Aimson's close-range touch, at full stretch, directing the ball narrowly wide.

Wigan then nearly capitalised on a weak back-pass but Costelloe was unable to beat Norris, who then showed great composure to out fox Asamoah who tried to tackle the big keeper. The visitors had been the better side throughout most of the first period without really working Tickle between the posts but that changed when Boyd-Munce produced a near replica of his opening goal but Tickle produced an outstanding piece of goalkeeping to turn the ball over the crossbar.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 0-1 Wycombe Wanderers.

Ryan Lowe was clearly unhappy with the energy levels shown in the first half and he introduced McManaman to add bite and tempo to the Wigan attack. Callum McManaman did brilliantly in the far corner, winning a free-kick for the Tics in a dangerous area as one of his first moves of the half. The subsequent set piece was floated into the box by Raphael, which allowed the impressive Norris to rise high above the bodies to collect the ball.

After 15 minutes the increased tempo began to dissipate and Wycombe again began to dominate with slick passing movements. Fox did well to snuff out an attack, sliding his body into the path of Finley Back by the far post to block his effort and knock the ball out of play.

Latics then found themselves caught cold by a quick corner routine with Alexander Lowry and Abbott playing off one another to unlock the back line and cross the ball into space for Donnell MCNEILLY, who headed home from close range.

Ryan Lowe made three more substitutions, bringing on Fraser Murray, Ryan Trevitt, and Matt Smith with the hopes of flipping the game on its head. The midfielders did have a positive impact, but Latics were ultimately unable to find a way onto the scoresheet as the Chairboys held on with relative ease to secure their place in the last 16.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 0-2 Wycombe Wanderers

Scorers; Boyd-Munce (32), McNeilly (61).

Attendance; 2,077

Wigan Athletic (3-5-2) --- Tickle; Fox, Weir, Aimson; Adeeko, Hungbo, Borges-Rodrigues, Cooper, Wright; Asamoah, Costelloe; Subs--- Savin (G), Smith (for Adeeko), Mullin (for Hungbo), Trevitt (for Cooper), Robinson, McManaman (for Asamoah), Murray (for Borges-Rodrigues), Brenan, Rogers.

Wycombe Wanderers (4-3-3) ---- Norris; Back, Huggins, Casey, Hagelskjaer; Abbott, Boyd-Munce, Westergaard; Tilley, Fink, McNeilly; Subs---Moore (G), Allen, Onyedinma, Savage, Bartolo (for Fink), Gregory (for Huggins), Lowry (for Westergaard), Skura (for Tilley), Leahy (for McNeilly).

Referee; Mr. Edward Duckworth (Preston)