Report by SJG

CHESHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs MACCLESFIELD

 3^rd February 1934

SEVENTH HEAVEN AS LATICS JUMP TO THE TOP OF THE TABLE

The two leading contenders in the race for the Championship crossed swords for this much anticipated clash.

A fine crowd of 11,087 produced receipts of nearly £324 and only the 500 or so hardy souls who made the trip from Macclesfield had any cause for complaint as Wigan served up a feast of attacking football.

Wigan named an unchanged starting XI with Snaith continuing in the centre forward role. The visitors awarded a debut to Hough at centre half who came in to replace Swift having been signed on the previous Monday.

The game began at an electrifying pace with O’Dell releasing Cowper who’s cross cum shot flashed across the face of the goal. The visitors pressed forward and Caunce was called on to deny Butt, Valentine and Owen.

On ten minutes Felton made a nice darting break into the Macclesfield box and Williams produced a rather crude challenge to up-end Wigan man. SCOTT stepped forward to fire home the resulting penalty kick.

Williams made some amends a few minutes later when he produced a stunning save to deny Scott a second goal after good work from O’Dell and Felton.

Macclesfield pressed forward again and a looping cross saw ex-Wigan Borough man, Valentine clattering into Caunce. The referee was quick to award a free-kick and the Wigan keeper had to have extended treatment before he was deemed fit to continue.

On 18 minutes Wigan grabbed a second goal, Kavanagh and Robson produced good play through the middle of the park and when they fed BENTHAM, he combined to great effect with Cowper before lashing a low drive past the flat-footed Williams.

Raids by Qwen and Stott allowed Macclesfield to remain threatening but despite having good possession and territory the visitors lacked an effective cutting edge and Wigan’s back line remained un-breached. On 32 minutes Wigan won a free-kick in an advanced position and when Harris, in attempting to clear, mis-kicked it allowed the alert COWPER to nip in and fire home from a tight angle.

More forays at goal at both ends ensued but Wigan held firm and went in at the break with a healthy, if somewhat flattering, lead.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 3-0 Macclesfield.

A late afternoon fog had begun to develop by the time the second period commenced but it had little effect on proceedings and within three minutes of the restart a long ball into the box was flicked on by the head of Snaith and when COWPER collected the ball he checked inside before shooting home from close-range.

The fourth goal seemed to demoralise the visitors and Wigan could easily have netted again when Felton was unceremoniously up-ended in the box but the referee chose to deny the vehement penalty appeals.

On 70 minutes the fifth goal did arrive. Scott found space to deliver a deep cross, Snaith deftly back-heeled the ball into the path of the advancing COWPER and the winger made no mistake with an emphatic finish to complete a fine personal hat-trick.

With ten minutes left on the clock COWPER timed his run perfectly to beat the Macclesfield offside trap and calmly rounded the keeper before slotting home with the Macclesfield defenders claiming in vain for an offside decision.

There was still time for Latics to grab a seventh goal and this one certainly had a hint of good-fortune as a low driven cross by SCOTT deceived both the defenders and the keeper to find its way into the corner of the net.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 7-0 Macclesfield.

Scorers; Scott (10, pen), (90+1), Bentham (18), Cowper (32), (48), (70), (80);

Attendance; 11,087

Team; WIGAN---Caunce; Robinson, Talbot; Kavanagh, O’Dell, Robson; Cowper, Bentham, Snaith, Felton, Scott;

MACCLESFIELD--- Williams; Sherlock, Harris; Jones, Hough, Stockton; Stott, Butt, Valentine, Roscoe, Owen;

Referee; Mr. J. Ward (Altrincham).