Report by SJG

FRIENDLY

AFC FYLDE vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

25^th July 2026

MIXED FORTUNES ON THE FYLDE COAST

Wigan Athletic continued their pre-season build-up with a short trip to National League side AFC Fylde on a wet Saturday afternoon.

Latics gained more valuable minutes ahead of the upcoming campaign and ran out as comfortable 3-0 winners at the Mill Farm following two first-half penalties from Chris Sze and an accomplished curled Fraser Murray finish.

A familiar venue to Latics supporters in recent years, Latics have regularly faced AFC Fylde at the Mill Farm as part of their pre-season programme, with their last visit prior to this weekend being a 4-1 win ahead of the 2024/25 season. 

They were greeted by several recognisable faces on the Fylde Coast, including former players Ethan Mitchell, Corey Whelan and Chris Merrie, and Head Coach Craig Mahon, who came through the Club's Academy and spent nearly fifteen years making a difference in the local community working for the Wigan Athletic Community Trust. AFC Fylde came into the game as last season's National League Champions and had already lined up against Latics' League One counterparts Blackpool and Huddersfield Town, along with Hyde United, as part of their preparations for their return to the Fifth Tier.

It was Latics who began the more aggressively and inside the opening five minutes they went close. Sze controlled the ball with his chest 18 yards out and dinked it over the Fylde backline, and it eventually fell to Murray, whose fierce strike was blocked before it could threaten Zac Jones.

On the back of assisting Latics' only goal against Port Vale, Akeel Higgins started the encounter with real confidence, and he called Jones into action with a rasping strike that had to be tipped wide of the post.

Latics were rewarded for their positive start when they broke the deadlock in the 10th minute from the penalty spot. Dara Costelloe was fouled by Taylor as he looked to shoot after bursting past the Fylde back line and SZE stepped up to dispatch the spot-kick. Wigan controlled possession and threatened to double their lead, before AFC Fylde had the opportunity to equalise with a penalty of their own. Morgan Fox was harshly deemed to have unfairly brought down Cedric Main, providing Dylan Allen-Hadley with the chance to score from 12 yards out, but Joe Walsh came up with a magnificent save to keep Latics' lead intact. 

Referee Zac Kennard-Kettle pointed to the spot for the third time in the first half when Higgins turned sharply inside the box and went down under challenge. The award seemed generous, but it was the same outcome as SZE cheekily chipped his penalty straight down the middle for his second of the afternoon. 

Half Time; AFC Fylde 0-2 Wigan Athletic.

Latics made just one change at the break, with Hindolo Mustapha replacing the impressive Higgins. Fraser MURRAY added a third in the 54th minute, finishing with a lovely first-time curling strike into the top corner following a neat turn and through ball by Chris Sze. 

Three minutes later, the Coasters, who had not really threatened the visitors in the face of some great closing down and pro-active defending, almost had one back through Mitchell, the ex-Tic marauded into the final third and unleashed a low strike which whistled narrowly wide of the target.

A whole host of changes followed, and this naturally changed the flow of the game as the players looked to get up to the match speed and intensity. Both sides continued to move the ball well and the hosts began to carry a little more threat in attack but on 80 minutes Latics trialist (Nico Lawrence) raced back to cut out a dangerous low ball but in so doing he suffered a horrific freak injury and the referee chose to abandon the game as the medics from both teams looked to administer treatment.

Full Time; AFC Fylde 0-3 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Sze (10, pen), (42, pen), Murray (54).

Attendance; 1,000 (Est).

WIGAN (4-3-3) – Walsh (G); Carragher, Mellish, Fox, Barrett; Murray, Weir, Power; Higgins, Costelloe, Sze. Subs; Watson (G), Bolland (for Mustapha), Chilokoa-Mullen (for Carragher), Marni-Miller (for Power), Brennan (for Barrett), Mustapha (for Higgins), Rimmer (for Sze). Adeeko (for Costelloe) Trialist (for Fox) Payne (for Murray)

AFC FYLDE (4-3-3) – Jones (G); Lancaster, Taylor, Whelan, Lewis; Merrie, Mitchell, Mayor; Morris, Main, Allen-Hadley. Subs; Boyes (G), Dougall, Drewe (for Taylor), Ormerod (for Morris), Wainwright (for Mayor), Trialist (for Merrie), Trialist (for Allen-Hadley), Fisher, Meadowcroft, Jackson.

Referee; Mr Zac Kennard-Kettle (Berkshire)