Report by SJG

CHESHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE

STOCKPORT COUNTY RESERVES vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

 17^th February 1934

LATICS GRAB CRUCIAL WIN AS CHAMPIONSHIP CHARGE GATHERS PACE.

Stockport have been sitting proudly at the top of the table for a number of weeks having played a significant number of games more than the other top sides and went into the game three points ahead of Latics having played six games more.

They went into this game at Edgeley Park looking to put some proper daylight between themselves and the chasing teams as they looked to extend an impressive run of thirteen straight home wins and their starting XI included a number of players with extensive league experience.

Wigan were forced into a number of team changes with Kavanagh and Bentham having signed for First division Everton following the Morecambe game.

Snaith returned from injury and two new faces were added to the starting line-up with the ex-Barnsley, Norwich City and Northampton player James (Jimmy) Wallbanks coming in to lead the line after impressing in his one outing for the reserves and James Anderson, who was signed from Darlington stepped in to fill the deeper play-maker role vacated by Kavanagh.

The home side began well and Pope served early warning that the Wigan defence was in for a busy day when he flashed a cross that flew across the face of goal. Anderson and Robinson then had a moment of misunderstanding in defence that nearly allowed Feeney in on goal, but Robinson was just able to recover the situation.

Wigan finally settled and saw off the early home onslaught before launching an attack of their own with Scott crossing for Wallbanks, who under heavy pressure hooked in a shot that forced the home keeper, McGann, to dive full length to turn the ball behind.

Ex-Wigan Borough player, Bert Humpish, was pulling the strings for County and with Pope getting the better of O’Dell there was plenty goal threat from the hosts and Caunce was kept busy as he dealt with and diffused a number of dangerous situations.

On 12 minutes Wigan passed up a guilt edged chance to claim the lead when Scott was played into acres of space and sprinted in on goal with just the keeper to beat. Then somehow he contrived to mis-kick in front of goal and the ball dribbled behind for a goal kick.

Three minutes later and SCOTT made amends when he collected a pass from Wallbanks and checked inside before firing low into the corner of the home goal. Two minutes later and Scott nearly doubled the score but his shot flew narrowly wide.

Scott was causing problems for his marker and another quick break saw him whip in a cross to Snaith who fired in a first-time effort that would surely have resulted in a second goal had it not been straight at the grateful McGann.

Caunce made a trio of timely interventions to deny J. Taylor and Humpish (twice) before, at the other end, Knox was alert and made a timely intervention to deny Wallbanks a debut goal.

Half Time; Stockport County Reserves 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

The first period had been an end-to-end affair with both sides having their share of chances. The second period, however, belonged to County who placed the Wigan defence under virtually constant pressure.

Within two minutes of the restart J. Taylor held off the attentions of Robinson and fired a shot that flew narrowly wide. Then a few moments later it seemed that the same forward was sure to score but the impressive Caunce threw himself to his right to somehow block the shot and Talbot was on hand to complete the clearance.

Wigan did have their moments on the break and Wallbanks almost had success when he floated a lobbed shot from distance that nearly caught out the back-pedalling McGann. The new Wigan front man was coming in for some rough treatment from the more physical County defenders and on several occasions he found himself being sent sprawling. One such collision saw Knox barging into the smaller man and the visitors appealed for a spot-kick but the appeals fell on deaf ears as play was allowed to continue.

Scott, who had been so effective in the first 45 minutes was less effective after the break. The winger did manage to burst free and fire home with a snap shot but play was called back for an offside decision that Wigan briefly disputed.

Caunce was again called into action to save from Pope before quickly clearing the ball before he could be challenged by the County forwards. The Wigan keeper then produced a truly world class save to palm away one handed a shot from Taylor from point-blank range following a swinging corner before producing another fine stop to turn a Humpish shot over the crossbar.

Frustration was beginning to surface as some of the challenges by the County players tended to be overly robust with Caunce coming in for increasingly heavy treatment as they tried to ruffle the seemingly unbeatable Wigan keeper.

With time running out Wigan had a chance to put the result beyond doubt when Cowper, who was having a quiet game by his standards, had a shooting chance following a poor clearance by the County defence but he failed to keep his shot down.

Haigh then had one last chance to find an equaliser but his run and shot ended with a rising shot that failed to find the target.

Full Time; Stockport County Reserves 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Scott (15);

Attendance; 5,309

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

STOCKPORT COUNTY--- McGann; Knox, Beedles; H. Taylor, Haigh, Rothwell; Pope, Humpish, J. Taylor, Feeney, Howe;

Referee; Mr. J. Roscoe (Bolton).