League One – HOME PARK STADIUM

Tuesday 9th March 2021

Lee Evans made a winning return to the Wigan Athletic side for the long journey south to Home Park.  The midfield man replaced the on loan Scott Wootton (who was ineligible to face his parent club) whilst Jamie Proctor replaced weekend goalscorer Joe Dodoo in the only changes from the side that dominated MK Dons at the weekend as Latics looked to build on that confidence boosting win and a first back-to-back win since September.

They started the brighter as well with Callum Lang capitalising on a mistake from The Pilgrims inside the opening 10 minutes but his first time volley flew high and wide of the goal.  The visitors didn’t have to wait long for another chance though, and five minutes later they were ahead.   Callum Lang again putting pressure on the Plymouth defence and holding the ball up well for Gavin Massey whose cross found Viv Solomon-Otabor and the wingman smashed home the opener giving Michael Cooper no chance.

The lead should have been 2 minutes later when again Callum Lang found himself clear of the defence but this time Cooper saved well before Solomon-Otabor’s shot flew over the bar.  The early goal clearly a confidence booster for the men in red.

That seemed to wake up the Argyle side though and Luke Jephcott rifled a shot at goal which beat Jamie Jones but couldn’t beat the woodwork, and then again three minutes later the home side hit the woodwork for a second time before a goal mouth scramble saw a block from Curtis Tilt and a good save from Jones to deny former Latics man Lewis MacLeod keep the score at 1-0.  A little bit of luck perhaps starting to fall the way of Leam Richardson’s side?

They didn’t need any luck with their second goal after a brilliant ball from Tendayi Darikwa found Gavin Massey in space and the Latics wing man crossed for Curtis Tilt to head home and double the lead and pour water on the Argyle fightback.  On refection a deserved lead at the break.

Plymouth pushed for a way back into the game for most of the second half but couldn’t breach a determined Latics defence.  Curtis Tilt and Lee Evans both made important blocks to protect the lead on the hour mark before Jamie Jones made two superb saves in quick succession to deny Ryan Hardie and then Danny Mayor and keep the score at 2-0 with just 15 minutes remaining.

After a number of late defeats in the last few seasons it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see a nervy Latics side in the final quarter of an hour but they saw the game out with ease to record a huge victory that lifted them out of the League One relegation places.

With news that a takeover is imminent and back-to-back wins the future is now starting to look a little brighter.

By Adam Conroy

Cockney Latic MOM: TILT
Referee: Gavin Ward (6/10)
Attendance: 0
Video Highlights: click here

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