Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

HALIFAX TOWN vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

19^th March 1980

STUCK IN THE MUD ON A WET WEDNESDAY IN HALIFAX.

The game was set to be played on the Tuesday evening but torrential rain saw the game pushed back by 24 hours and after a late inspection the game got underway.

Loan signing David Shearer went straight into the starting line-up for this trip to a wet and desolate Shay and it was the Latics who

were the dominant force throughout the ninety minutes and could easily have recorded a comfortable win but their finishing was wayward and they failed to convert any of their numerous chances.

The excellent Kilner, in the home goal, was called upon in the first half to make excellent saves to deny both Houghton and Urquhart and the referee waved aside two excellent penalty shouts as on two occasions defenders slid into reckless tackles and upended the lively Houghton.

Halifax, for their part, had created very little and it took nearly 45 minutes for Brown to be tested as with half time beckoning a quick turn and shot by Kennedy forced the Wigan stopper into a reflex save as he dove low to his right to block the initial effort and then quickly recovered to grab the loose ball.

Half Time; Halifax Town 0-0 Wigan Athletic.

The second half saw Wigan taking full control of the game as they piled the pressure on an over-worked Halifax back line.

On 68 minutes Shearer nearly marked his debut with a goal when he was first to react to a low cross by Corrigan but he lost his footing on the muddy surface and could only steer the effort narrowly beyond the far post.

Wigan then carved an even better opening on 75 minutes when Houghton latched onto a loose back pass, rounded the keeper, then squared the ball to the on-rushing Shearer and Urquhart who somehow managed to get in each other’s way and fluff the chance as they allowed Kilner to recover and scramble the ball to safety.

The Wigan defence restricted the home side to just one long range shot but the visitors overall dominance failed to turn into goals and they had to head back over the Pennines with only a single point to show for their efforts.

Full Time; Halifax Town 0-0 Wigan Athletic.

Attendance; 1,406

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

HALIFAX TOWN--- Kilner; Dunleavy, Hutt, Evans, Harris; Goodman, Firth, Kennedy, Smith; Allatt, Burke; SUB; --- Whycliffe

Referee; Mr. P. Scott (Nottingham).