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THE
Millennium Bug has been a major talking point for seemingly ages.
Boffins worldwide spent years fretting about how the move into 2000
would affect the computer network, while Wigan Athletic supporters
have wondered recently whether the club's finely-tuned promotion drive
would be blown off course over the momentous party period.
Well, they needn't have worried. Everyone's video and microwave still
seems to be working, while Latics' quest to play Division One football
next season seems bang on course.
Two late goals from Simon Haworth at Oxford's Manor Ground kept his
side at the top of the table and stretched the club's unbeaten League
run to 24 games.
He struck in the 70th and 88th minute after the hosts had taken a
surprise lead on the hour following a defensive blunder by Kevin Sharp.
Until his late winner, however, it looked like Latics were going to
have to settle for a share of the spoils from their visit to the city
better known for it's university rather than it's football.
They came across South African goalkeeper Andre Ardense in terrific
form, and when they did find a way past him, the woodwork was there
to deny them.
But they can say that success comes to those who wait, and Haworth's
patience was finally rewarded in front of goal.
The twin strike took his tally for the campaign to 15 - already one
better than last season - and ended a mini-goal drought for the Welsh
front runner.
He hadn't found the net since the FA Cup replay win over Wycombe at
the end of November, and the relief on his face afterwards was plain
to see.
Haworth's goals also secured Latics' first ever win against Oxford.
The sides' four previous meetings hadn't even produced a goal for
Latics, and perhaps one or two more of these statistics will be re-written
as the season goes on.
After two wins over the holiday period, John Benson's lads came to
the curiosly-built but homely Manor Ground in confident mood.
An injury to Stuart Balmer saw Pat McGibbon line up in the centre
of defence alongside Arjan de Zeeuw, while Michael O'Neill returned
to midfield in place of Darren Sheridan who dropped down to the bench.
The early play belonged to Latics, with Jeff Peron testing Ardense
inside the first minute with a 20-yard shot, while Haworth headed
over the top soon afterwards.
Ardense produced the first of a series of top-drawer saves after 19
minutes.
O'Neill sent Peron clear down the left, the Frenchman's cross found
Andy Liddell on the edge of the box, and his sweetly-struck volley
looked goalbound until the keeper stuck out a glove to fingertip the
shot away.
Oxford, playing with just one striker, grew stronger as the half went
on, with lone front man Steve Anthrobus sending a header straight
at Roy Carroll, while the same player saw a shot deflect off McGibbon
and spin inches wide.
Carroll went into the referee's notebook seven minutes before the
break for sending Jamie Cook sprawling to the floor as the pair challenged
for a through-ball a few yards outside the box.
Latics enjoyed a purrple patch at the beginning og the second half,
with Ardense tipping a fiercely-hit shot from Haworth over the bar
after just 27 seconds, while Alan McLoughlin fired straight at the
keeper from 18 yards a minute later.
At the other end, de Zeeuw had to clear an Anthrobus header off the
line with Cook closing in on the rebound.
O'Neill missed a sitter for Latics in the 56th minute when he blazed
over from eight yards following Liddell's knock-down from Sharp's
cross, and that proved costly on the hour when Oxford took the lead.
An attack from the visitors was broken down on the edge of the area
and Phil Whelan launched a long ball upfield.
Sharp controlled it inside his own half, turned to hit it back to
Carroll, but totally fluffed his kick.
COOK stole in, rounded Carroll in the area, and shot home from an
acute angle past Scott Green on the line.
Latics responded by sending on Stuart Barlow for Green, and the club's
top scorer almost added to his tally with his first kick.
He met Peron's low cross with a powerful shot which Ardense dived
full length to flip up against the underside of the bar.
But Latics were not to be denied for long and drew level in the 70th
minute when de Zeeuw launched a long ball into the box. The ball dropped
over defender Mark Watson, and HAWORTH brought it under control before
curling a rising shot just inside Ardense's far post.
A frantic last 20 minutes saw Joey Beauchamp just failing to get his
head to a cross from Cook, while Liddell was booked for bringing down
the goalscorer just outside the area.
Haworth headed a cross from skipper Carl Bradshaw against the far
post in the 87th minute, but less than 60 seconds later, he was a
fraction more accurate to grab Latics' winner.
Bradshaw swung a left-wing corner into the box and de Zeeuw's header
was cleared off the line by Rob Folland.
In the ensuing scramble, the ball fell to HAWORTH eight yards out,
and he turned to fire a shot inside the post.
The 1,000 travelling fans who had braved the Football League's bizarre
choice of festive fixture, went wild as did the Latics backroom staff
on the bench.
Welcome to 2000 - will it be Latics' year?
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OXFORD
UNITED:
Ardense 9, Robinson 6, Powell 7, Watson 7, Murphy 7, Anthrobus 7,
Lilley 6, Beauchamp 7, Cook 8, Folland 7, Whelan 7
Subs
not used: Lundin, Davis, Fear, Weatherstone, Francis
Scorer:
Cook 60
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WIGAN
ATHLETIC :
Carroll 7,
Bradshaw
8, Sharp 7, McGibbon 8, de Zeeuw 8, Green 7 (Barlow 62), Peron 7,
McLoughlin 7, O'Neill 8, Liddell 7, Haworth 9
Subs
not used: Stillie, Griffiths, Kilford, Sheridan
Scorer:
Haworth 70,88
Booked:
Carroll 53 (foul on Cook), Liddell 81 (foul on Cook)
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