Report by SJG

EFL CUP

BARNSLEY vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

8^th August 2026

WIGAN PAY PENALTY FOR SPURNED CHANCES.

Wigan Athletic were made to pay for missed opportunities in the Carabao Cup on Saturday afternoon as they were beaten 6-5 on penalties by Barnsley after drawing 1-1 after ninety minutes.                                                     

In what was a performance that offered huge amounts of encouragement ahead of the League One opener next week in terms of attacking intent and chances created, Gary Caldwell's side were punished late in the game by Cameron McGeehan after Dara Costelloe had opened the scoring in the first half.      

Straight from kick off it was Latics who were in control and created numerous clear chances to reflect that dominance. Inside the opening seven minutes Wigan created two chances, first, Jensen Weir set Chris Sze clear with a lovely, lofted ball but the chance went unconverted, then Sze was involved again as his pull back from a quick Barrett throw was inches away from finding the mark and Costelloe missed the chance to apply an easy tap-in. The next chance fell to Perkins who was in space following a deep corner that was headed back across goal by Fox, but the striker failed to judge the bounce of the ball and his week heder was easily saved.                      

Wigan continued in the ascendency as they searched for the opener and Murray was next to test Ravenhill with a low, driven effort as he charged onto a deflected pass from Sze, but the Barnsley keeper was down well to save. Murray was then presented with a gilt-edged chance to open the scoring from a loose Barnsley header to send him through on goal, but his strike cannoned off the post and away from danger.                                                                 

A minute later and Latics were in again as a flowing attack involving Walsh and Barrett ended with the latter feeding Sze with an inch-perfect pass to offer up a shooting opportunity, but the Barnsley keeper again got down well to make the save.                       

Sze, who was influential throughout the game, tested Ravenhill's reactions again with a stinging effort from 25 yards out after nice interplay between Power and Perkins, but his strike was pushed behind for a corner.                                                                              

On the forty-minute mark Latics finally got the breakthrough that was the least they deserved when a well worked free kick saw a deep cross picking out Carragher and he laid the ball back across the face of goal to COSTELLOE for the easiest of finishes.

Half Time; Barnsley 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

Wigan started the second half in the same way they finished the first, and Weir went in search of doubling his side's lead with an arrowing effort that looked destined to find the far corner but whistled wide of Ravenhill's left-hand post. Barnsley however were also being more adventurous as they started to commit more bodies forward in search of a leveller and Costelloe did well to anticipate a Josh Earl header across goal and make a last-ditch clearance to keep Latics in front.                                

Latics should have doubled their lead when Sze's perfect through ball with the outside of his foot was latched onto by Murray, who went through one-on-one but could only fire straight at Ravenhill.                                                                                                                                     

The summer heat was beginning to affect the players as several went down with cramp and both managers looked to their benches for energy and fresh legs. Wigan again went close with Morgan Fox glancing a precise header towards goal that had Ravenhill at full stretch. However, as the clock ran down, Barnsley were beginning to pose more of a threat and they eventually took one. First, Connell dragged an effort wide when a ball was played back to him on the edge of the box, then Reyes Cleary, who had been lively all afternoon for the home side, was the catalyst for the equaliser as his ball across found an unmarked MCGEEHAN inside the six-yard box and he lashed the ball home.                                           

With penalties looming, Latics thought they had grabbed a well-deserved winner as the outstanding Weir threaded an inch perfect ball to pick out Miller who hit a fierce first-time finish outstandingly well, but the goal was ruled out for the tightest of offside calls.           

The full-time whistle quickly followed, and the game went into the lottery of a penalty shoot-out, with the home side winning 6-5.                                                                             

Defeat was tough on Latics but hopefully they can build on their performance as they gear up for the season opener away at Cambridge United next weekend.

Full Time; Barnsley 1-1 Wigan Athletic. (Barnsley won on penalties).

Scorers; Costelloe (40); McGeehan (80).

Attendance; 4,414

WIGAN (3-4-2-1) – Walsh (G); Carragher, Fox, Mellish; Murray, Weir, Power, Barrett; Sze, Costelloe, Perkins. Subs; Watson (G), Chilokoa-Mullin, Chapman, Bolland, Harris (for Perkins), Higgins (for Barrett), Marni-Miller (for Costelloe), Brenan (for Sze), Rimmer.

BARNSLEY (4-2-3-1) – Ravenhill (G); Alker, Earl, Gale, Kay; McGeehan, Connell; Cleary, Kelly, Richards; Kirk; Subs; Andrassy (G), Shepherd, O’Keeffe, Bland (for Kirk), Town (for Richards), Hudson, Saunders.

Referee; Mr Richard Eley (Derby