Report by SJG

F. A. CUP

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs AFC BARROW

 6th December 2025

WIGAN BATTLE INTO THIRD ROUND AS BARROW PAY PENALTY.

Wigan Athletic are in the hat for Monday's Emirates FA Cup Third Round draw, after securing their passage with a hard-fought penalty shootout win against Barrow AFC. 

James Carragher marked his first experience captaining the Tics on home soil with a goal, which was cancelled out midway through the second half by Jack Earing. Will Aimson then rescued the Latics in the 89th minute after Niall Canavan's headed finish four minutes earlier had looked to have won the tie for the League Two side. The game went to extra time before Latics finally booked their place in the Third Round with a penalty shootout triumph.

The Club has enjoyed their fair share of fairytales in the FA Cup throughout the decades, but on this occasion Wigan, so often ‘under-dogs’, began the game as favourites a burden that seemed to sit heavy on their shoulders for much of the game.

Wigan have grown in both momentum and confidence in the last month and while the performances have sometimes lacked style the team have recovered from a difficult patch to kickstart an impressive unbeaten streak across all competitions. 

Latics named a strong starting XI in an attempt to try and reach the Third Round and in so doing extend their run of good results.

Ryan Lowe made three changes from the midweek win against Burton Albion, with Carragher, Tyrese Francois and Callum Wright replacing Jason Kerr, Jensen Weir and Christian Saydee. In the absence of Kerr, Academy graduate Carragher was entrusted with the responsibility of leading Wigan into battle as captain. 

Barrow AFC made five changes from their away draw at Newport County last weekend - former Preston North End Tom Barkhuizen made his first start since October, while Wyll Stanway, Josh Gordon, Ben Jackson and Earing also returned. Lifelong Wigan Athletic supporter, former Season Ticket holder, and Academy graduate Scott Smith made his return to the Brick Community Stadium, starting in a more advanced role for the Bluebirds.

It was Latics who controlled the early tempo through the midfield duo of Matt Smith and Francois. M. Smith almost unlocked the Barrow defence inside the opening five minutes, but his ball through to Dara Costelloe was just beyond the striker and rolled into Stanway's grateful hands. Paul Mullin looked to make the breakthrough on eight minutes with a low strike from the right of the penalty area that had Stanway scrambling. 

After the bright start Wigan got the goal that they deserved when CARRAGHER headed his side into a 13th-minute lead. Fraser Murray's corner from the left wasn't convincingly cleared by Stanway, and Carragher was in the right place at the right time to power his header home at the far post

Wigan looked to build on their lead and a quickly taken free-kick allowed Wright and Murray to isolate the Barrow full-back and Murray’s cross was almost tapped home by Costelloe. A neat Francois turn and cross led to Latics' next opportunity prior to the half-hour mark, but the Australian midfielder's ball into the box was too far ahead of Mullin, who couldn't readjust in time to capitalise. In the final moments of the first half, there was still time for one last chance for Lowe's men. Following some good wing play down the right, Murray's low ball found Mullin, who saw his first-time effort fly wide of the post. Wigan had dominated possession for much of the first period and went into the break with a well-deserved lead.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 1-0 AFC Barrow.

Latics started the second half in the same manner that they finished the first, with Mullin having another sight on goal. Picking up the ball in a similar position to his goal at Bolton Wanderers, Mullin wrapped his foot around his curling strike, which was well held by Stanway. Barrow were a lot busier in the second half and roared on by an impressive band of travelling fans they began to threaten the Wigan goal. A cross from the right looked destined to be met by the head of Gordon, but Carragher did enough to divert the cross behind for a corner.

The visitors brought the game back level with 25 minutes left to play when a Ben Whitfield delivery into the box was directed into the bottom corner by a stretching EARING.

Wigan looked to respond straight away, and it was trademark Callum McManaman. The half-time substitute cut inside from the left and hit one, and his strike took a deflection and nearly dipped over Stanway and into the far corner. Then with just five minutes remaining, Barrow, who had looked the livelier side in the second period, took the lead after a corner was headed in by captain Niall CANAVAN.

Back came Wigan and in the 89th minute McManaman kept the ball alive and lofted a cross to the far post, and there was AIMSON to direct his header into the back of the net.

There was nearly another twist in the tale, and Scott Smith almost won it at the death. The Wiganer took aim from the edge of the area, and despite the strike taking a huge deflection, Sam Tickle somehow diverted his body in mid-air to claw it away. It was a vital save and one that took the game into extra time.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 2-2 AFC Barrow.

In the first period of extra time, Charlie McCann saw a strike whistle just past the far post, while Harrison Bettoni struck straight at Stanway at the end of a mazy run.

Latics dominated the second half of extra time, creating a number of opportunities to regain the lead. McManaman had two bites of the cherry: a header caught by Stanway and a well-blocked volley, while Saydee was also denied by heroic last-ditch defending after some incredible close control inside the area.

The game went to penalties, and just as in the first round Wigan proved ice-cool from the penalty spot. McManaman, Murray, Aimson and Saydee all converted for Latics, while Tickle superbly denied Ben Jackson, and MJ Williams struck the crossbar to send Wigan through.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 2-2 AFC Barrow.  (Wigan win 4-3 on penalties).

Scorers; Carragher (40), Aimson (89); Earing (65), Canavan (85).

Attendance; 4,623

Wigan Athletic (3-4-3) --- Tickle; Aimson, Carragher, Fox; Murray, Francois, Smith, Wright, Raphael; Costelloe, Mullin. Subs--- Savin (G), Cooper (for Wright), Brenan, Kerr, Robinson, Weir (for Francois), Saydee (for Mullin), McManaman (for Raphael), Bettoni (for Costelloe).

AFC Barrow (3-4-2-1) ---- Stanway; Williams, Raglan, Canavan; Jackson, McCann, Whitfield, Earing; Barkhuizen, Smith; Gordon; Subs--- Winterbottam(G), Newby (for Barkhuizen), Fletcher (for Earing), Shipley (for Smith), Adu-Poku (for Whitfield), Cameron, Worrall.

Referee; Mr. Martin Coy (Durham)