Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

TORQUAY UNITED vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

14^th March 1980

MAGIC MAURICE MAKES A POINT.

Latics started with the same XI who finished the game at Tranmere, with youngster Dave McMullen being named on the bench.

Wigan quickly got into their stride with neat passing and link up play and the opening goal on 29 minutes was undoubtedly against the run of play.

LAWRENCE pounced on a piece of sloppy play in the Latics rearguard and he made the most of the poor defensive cover to fire the Gulls ahead.

The goal was harsh on the Tics and they pushed forward and grabbed the equaliser eight minutes later when Gore played a tidy through ball for Houghton to collect and the centre forward rounded the keeper before squaring the ball to CORRIGAN who made no mistake from five yards.

The away following had barely finished celebrating when a poor clearance by Urquhart fell to Davies and he lofted a ball into the Latics box that the unmarked LAWRENCE bundled home.

Half Time; Torquay United 2-1 Wigan Athletic.

In the second half powerhouse shooting by Smith twice beat the despairing Brown but on each occasion Fretwell was on hand to clear the efforts off the goal-line.

Then in the 70^th minute Wigan grabbed the leveller that their overall play had deserved.

Micky Moore chased a long ball into the Torquay box and referee Mr. Colin Downey awarded an indirect free-kick as he deemed that the Wigan man had been obstructed.

The resulting free-kick saw Corrigan rolling the ball sideways and Maurice WHITTLE firing home a blockbuster of a shot that gave O’Keefe little chance in the home goal.

Both sides went all out to try and grab the win in the remaining period with Latics shading the exchanges but neither team could find that crucial goal and after ninety fast and furious minutes the points were shared.

Moore was booked for a rather rash challenge on 84 minutes and in the final minute of the game Corrigan, who had just served a two-match ban, joined him in the referee’s notebook after an altercation with a Torquay defender.

Full Time; Torquay United 2-2 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Corrigan (36), Whittle (68); Lawrence (28), (39);

Attendance; 2,688

Team; WIGAN—Brown; Fretwell, Whittle, Davids, Methven; Gore, Wright, Corrigan, Urquhart; Houghton, Moore; SUB; --- McMullen

TORQUAY UNITED--- O’Keefe; Pethard, Ritchie, Twitchin, Bourne; Smith, Davies, Wilson, Murphy; Lawrence, Cooper; SUB; --- Coffill

Referee; Mr. Colin Downey (Hounslow).