Report by SJG

LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

WIGAN ATHLETIC vs PORT VALE

26^th March 1980

HAT-TRICK HERO SHEARER RE-IGNITES THE PROMOTION DREAM

Latics made maximum use of the first of their games-in-hand to grab both the available points from this re-arranged game against Port Vale.

A quick-fire eight-minute hat-trick by loanee David Shearer was enough to ensure victory against a Port Vale side that struggled to compete with the home sides movement and passing.

Port Vale included the highly rated Chamberlain brothers, Mark and Neville, in their squad and were hopeful of building on their recent form that had seen them beaten only once in their last eight games.

Latics however, began brightly and could easily have netted well before the 14^th minute when Whittle and Corrigan combined to provide a low driven cross that was touched on by Houghton and lashed home by SHEARER.

Minutes later and SHEARER anticipated a poor back pass by Bentley and nipped in before firing low beyond the despairing keeper.

On 22 minutes Davids fired a long diagonal ball to Corrigan who picked out Wright with a precise cross and when the ball was headed back across the face of goal it was the diving SHEARER who applied the important touch to complete his hat-trick.

The visitors were presented with an early opportunity to pull a goal back when Fleming found himself in space just six yards from goal, but he blazed his shot wildly over the bar.

The action flowed quickly from one end to the other and BEECH took full advantage during the next Vale attack when he fired low and hard from the edge of the penalty area and the effort beat the despairing dive of Brown to find the bottom corner of the Wigan net.

Half Time; Wigan Athletic 3-1 Port Vale.

The game continued in similar style after the break with both sides producing passages of football that were pleasing on the eye, but the final goalscoring touch was now absent with the defences working hard to avoid further concessions.

Shearer could easily have added to his tally as he saw an effort hacked off the goal-line by Keenan who produced an acrobatic clearance, then the striker was denied again, this time by a fine save by Dance in the Port Vale goal.

Wigan were very much in control and Fretwell was unlucky not to score following a set play. Other chances followed with Urquhart seeing his rasping drive palmed against the bar by the over-worked Dance.

Shearer saw another near post flick blocked by a combination of defenders on the line and then he clipped a post with a smart turn and first time shot.

Port Vale tried to compete and in the young diminutive Tony Sealy they had a midfielder who never stopped running and tackling as he tried to fashion chances for his colleagues.

Wigan seemed to have won a penalty when the fleet footed Houghton was clearly up-ended in the area but the referee waved play on to the consternation of the Wigan players and fans. The decision was not to prove critical as Latics comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to record an emphatic and stylish win that served to re-ignite the promotion talk in the local hostelries as the fans wandered home and dissected the game.

Full Time; Wigan Athletic 3-1 Port Vale.

Scorers; Shearer (14), (19), (22); Beech (24).

Attendance; 4,854

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

PORT VALE--- Dance; Keenan, Griffiths, Elsby, Harwood; Sproson, Beech, N. Chamberlain, Sealy; Fleming, Bentley; SUB; --- M. Chamberlain (for Fleming).

Referee; Mr. George Courtney (County Durham)

Wigans next game was to see them travel to Scunthorpe to take on a side that was attracting plenty of national news headlines with the England cricket legend Ian Botham currently training with the team and looking likely to make his first appearance against the Tics.