|
LIFE
must be a beach for Wigan Athletic owner Dave Whelan as he prepares
to celebrate the new millennium in the Caribbean sunshine.
It has been a memorable 1999 for his beloved club, with Latics lifting
the Auto Windscreens Shield at Wembley, the move to the JJB Stadium
and the excellent unbeaten start to the present season.
And the smile will no doubt have spread a little further across his
face as they ended the century with their 14th league win of the campaign.
Goals from central midfield pair Alan McLoughlin and Darren Sheridan
were enough to see off Gillingham and keep them on top of the table
going into 2000.
Latics weren't quite as convincing as they were at Notts County on
Boxing Day, but they played some excellent football in patches to
hint there is plenty more to come from them before May.
Manager John Benson wore the smile of a contented chap afterwards,
satisfied that his side had recorded a maximum six points from two
tough festive fixtures.
"We couldn't have done anymore to be honest with you, and the
chairman might even open another bottle of champagne in Barbados after
this one," cracked the boss.
"Mind you, he might not be too happy when he hears I brought
three substitutes on and will have to pay another three win bonuses
- he might put the second bottle away!"
If the display at Notts County and parts of yesterday's performance
against Gillingham are anything to go by, I'll put a few quid on a
lot more bubbly being drunk come the end of the season.
The 4-4-2 system introduced earlier in the month has clicked into
place with the players looking far more at ease, and there are signs
that the side are moving into top gear just in time for the second
half of the season.
They got off to the best possible start yesterday when they were gift-wrapped
a goal after just 52 seconds.
Gills goalkeeeper Vince Bartram will want to forget about it in a
hurry, with his gaff worthy of a place in Auntie's Festive Sporting
Bloomers.
A routine backpass from Barry Ashby should have been dealt with comfortably
by Bartram, but he sliced the clearance over his shoulder and out
for a corner.
The flag kick was taken short to Kevin Sharp on the left, he sent
over a deep cross into the middle and it was met by McLOUGHLIN in
the middle.
His initial close range effort was blocked by Bartram, but the Republic
of Ireland international reacted to the rebound and slammed the ball
home at the far post.
Less than a minute on the clock and already 1-0 up against a team
traditionally very difficult to beat.
To be fair to new boss Peter Taylor, his Gillingham side aren't really
the big, direct outfit we witnessed under previous manager Tony Pulis.
They knocked the ball around the pitch to feet, but the loss of Robert
Taylor to Manchester City and Carl Asaba to injury has left them painfully
short of ideas up front.
Latics central defensive pair Stuart Balmer and Arjan de Zeeuw had
a relatively quiet afternoon, lapping up most of what Gillingham could
muster in the final third of the field.
With the early goal under their belt, Latics were in confident mood,
and Andy Liddell almost doubled the lead in the 13th minute.
Collecting a quickly taken throw-in from Sharp, he let fly a shot
from 20 yards which Bartram saved with a diving save at full stretch.
The visitors' best spell of the game came midway through the first
period, when they twice came close to a leveller.
In the 22nd minute, Paul Smith's cross from the by-line picked out
Nyron Nosworthy and he headed against the far post with Roy Carroll
beaten.
Then 11 minutes later, Junior Lewis' teasing cross to the far post
was nodded down across the face of goal by Ashby but no Gillingham
player could get a boot on it.
Sheridan - playing in place of the injured Michael O'Neill - went
close a minute into first half stoppage time.
Andy Hessenthaler was booked for bringing down Scott Green a couple
of yards outside the box, and Sheridan's low free kick was saved at
the second time of asking by the diving Bartram with Liddell lurking
to snap up the rebound.
After the interval, de Zeeuw headed a Sheridan free kick into Bartram's
arms, while Liddell saw a shot blocked by a defender following good
build up play by Green and Simon Haworth.
Latics' second goal arrived after 67 minutes when Green's flick found
Liddell on the right wing.
A flick of his boot and an acceleration of pace took Liddell past
the full back and his low cross was drilled into the net by SHERIDAN
from 12 yards.
With Gillingham having to push forward to try and salvage the match,
Latics found themselves with more room and with a bit more luck could
have increased their lead.
Haworth's shot from a Liddell cross crashed off a defender and went
behind for a corner, while he was ever so unlucky in the 76th minute.
Sheridan and Liddell combined to find Haworth in the area and his
first time shot beat Bartram but flashed into the side netting.
Gillingham briefly threatened in the 82nd minute when Hessenthhaler's
pass released Andy Thomson in the box, but Carroll saved the former
Queen of the South striker's shot with his legs.
Latics calmly played out the remaining minutes with an air of confidence
to the delight of the 8,054 crowd - the second highest league crowd
at the JJB Stadium.
They went home safe in the knowledge that Latics sit proudly on top
of Division Two as we enter the new Millennium. Happy New Year!
|
|
WIGAN
ATHLETIC :
Carroll 7, Bradshaw 7 (Kilford
90), Sharp 7, Balmer 8 (McGibbon 90), de Zeeuw 7, McLoughlin 7, Sheridan
7, Liddell 8, Haworth 7, Green 8, Peron 7 (Barlow 90)
Subs
not used: Stillie, Martinez
Goals:
McLoughlin 1, Sheridan 67
|
GILLINGHAM
:
Bartram 5, Smith 6, Edge 6, Butters
6, Ashby 8, Southall 6, Hessenthaler 8, Nosworthy 6 (Thomson 55),
Pennock 6 (Hodge 68), Lewis 6, Rowe 5 (Saunders 68)
Subs
not used: Mitten, McGlinchy
Booking:
Hessenthaler 45 (foul on Green)
|
