Huddersfield Town vs. Wigan Athletic - The Match Report

Huddersfield Town vs. Wigan Athletic

Date: Saturday 8^th February 2014

Venue: John Smith’s Stadium

Referee: Mark Brown

Score: 1-0

A goal five minutes from time was enough for Huddersfield Town to defeat Wigan Athletic on Saturday and dent the Latics’ hopes of promotion.

Midfielder, Adam Clayton, converted from twenty yards, beating Ali Al-Habsi at his near post. This goal was to be enough to beat Wigan despite their best efforts to win the game.

Wigan started slowly and failed to capitalise on a superior percentage of possession. It was to be Wigan’s new signing, Martyn Waghorn, on loan from Leicester City, who undoubtedly had the best of Wigan’s chances.

Early on in the first half, Waghorn latched onto the end of a brilliant Jean Beausejour cross and volleyed a shot straight at Huddersfield ‘keeper, Alex Smithies.

Then, Oliver Norwood troubled Al-Habsi from a free kick taken from thirty yards. But the Omani international was equal to the shot and managed to parry the ball away from goal.

As the second half began, Wigan earned themselves a corner from which an unmarked James Perch headed over at the near post.

Yet again, Waghorn found himself in a great position to score but volleyed well wide. He probably could have taken a touch and thought about his shot instead.

Waghorn’s final chance, before being substituted, came as Jordi Gomez put a low cross into the box. Waghorn and Kames McArthur found themselves free and unmarked at the back post but it was to be Waghorn who unbelievably put the ball over the bar from six yards.

As the game drew to a close, Norwood tested Al-Habsi once again from a free kick and hit the crossbar from forty yards.

Four minutes later, Clayton won the game as Wigan gave him too much time and he beat Al-Habsi from twenty yards.

It seems that Wigan took their foot off the gas with around fifteen minutes to go which gave Huddersfield the perfect opportunity to go on and win the game. Fortunately for the Latics, they are only seven points off the play off zone and have two games in hand. The problems will come if Wigan fail to win both of their games in hand.