Charlie Wyke finished with great aplomb

• Wigan Athletic were held to a 1-1 draw with Carlisle United at Brunton Park in a game which they had controlled for long periods.
• Charlie Wyke gave Latics the lead with a sublime finish after an excellent driving run and pass from midfielder Baba Adeeko on 34 minutes.
• Latics should have added to their lead but Wyke hit the crossbar with another effort and Charlie Hughes headed against the post in a one-sided first half.
• Carlisle drew level on 56 minutes after Matt Smith was dispossessed and Sean Maguire’s deflected shot fell to Owen Moxon who converted from close range.
• The Cumbrians grew in confidence and posed more of a threat, however it was Latics Callum Lang and substitute Stephen Humphrys who had the best chances but the points were shared.
• Latics remain unbeaten but are still on minus one point. Carlisle have two points and are in 19th place in the League One table.

Manager Shaun Maloney made two changes from Saturday’s victory against Northampton with Adeeko and Callum McManaman replacing Scott Smith and Stephen Humphrys in the starting line-up.

Latics enjoyed plenty of early possession and Sean Clare almost played in Wyke after only six minutes but the defender’s cross went across the six-yard box and evaded the big striker.

Lang drove forward on 11 minutes and fired wide of the target from 25-yards out. Soon afterwards McManaman tried his luck from the edge of the area but his strike was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Tomas Holy.

On 13 minutes Thelo Aasgaard threatened with a curling strike from 20-yards which just cleared the crossbar.

The visitors were dominating possession with Matt Smith and Adeeko controlling the midfield and playing some progressive passing football. The hosts were struggling to gain any meaningful possession and were lacking any goal threat.

Latics nearly went in front on 29 minutes when Tom Pearce’s dangerous cross found Wyke in the centre of the area but his downward shot was deflected onto the crossbar and over for a corner.

The visitors did go ahead five minutes later after a superb flowing move. Adeeko picked the ball up deep in his own half and drove forward before playing a slide-rule pass into Wyke who cleverly dinked the ball over the advancing keeper for a great finish.

They might have doubled their lead on 42 minutes when Pearce’s in-swinging free-kick was headed powerfully downwards by Hughes and against the post.

Carlisle’s first chance of the game came in the 48th minute when a deep cross found Ryan Edmondson at the back post but his header missed the target.

1-0 to Latics at half time.

Early in the second half the visitors should have added to their lead when Adeeko down the right did well to cut the ball back to Aasgaard, but the midfielder’s side-footed strike produced an excellent save from Carlisle keeper Holy. 

But against the run of play the hosts drew level on 56 minutes. Matt Smith was dispossessed and  Maguire’s deflected strike fell to Moxon in the area and the midfielder made no mistake from close range.

It was suddenly game on and now it was the hosts who looked the more dangerous. Carlisle upped their game and Tickle was forced to save at the back post.

Maloney replaced McManaman and Wyke with Stephen Humphrys and Josh Magennis on 70 minutes.

Humphrys broke free on 79 minutes and might have squared the ball to the well placed Lang in the area but instead fired wide of the far post.

Lang then a great chance on 81 minutes to restore Latics’ lead when Humphrys and Magennis combined to play him through into the box, but the striker fired over from a good position.

Latics continued to push forward in ten minutes of added time, but they couldn’t get the all important winner to move out of negative points and they remain on minus one point after three games.  

Overview

Latics can take many positives from an excellent first half in which they played attractive football and created some great chances. Matt Smith was once again central to Latics system under Maloney and his link up play is generally of the highest quality. Baba Adeeko also had a very promising full debut and was instrumental in Wyke’s goal. 

However, overall Latics they didn’t capitalise on their first half dominance and they wasted several good goalscoring opportunities. They really should have been out of sight by half time after creating such good opportunities. Wyke hit the crossbar and Hughes headed against the post and even in the second half Aasgaard, Lang and Humphrys all had great opportunities to seal the points.

Wyke has three goals already but Latics other strikers need to start scoring if they are to challenge this season. Although this was a point gained, it can also be seen as two points lost in a game that they had controlled for such long periods.

Latics will have to be more clinical in front of goal in the local derby against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday if they are to take all three points.

Post match comments 

Speaking afterwards, Shaun Maloney said

“The first half is as good a performance as I’ve had since I’ve been here.” 

“My only criticism is when we are that good, we have to put teams away. In the second half, it was a proper game and that’s what happens if you don’t put teams away.

“I actually enjoyed a lot of today – and it’s probably as good as we’ve played. The first half was as good as anything I’ve seen.

“I was desperate to win the game for obvious reasons to come out of minus points, but I’m very happy with how we played.”

Baba Adeeko played a key role in Wyke’s opener following a wonderful run from deep, and the Gaffer was full of praise for the Academy graduate who certainly impressed on his first full league debut. 

“Baba was outstanding – especially considering it was his first start. The pass for Charlie’s goal was very good.

“Charlie Wyke is playing at a very good level at the moment, and I’m asking a lot of him. Charlie ran himself into the ground and the quality he shows has been good. It was a very good night for Baba, and it’s the first of hopefully many.”

Thelo Aasgaard was sadly forced off through a shoulder injury in the Sky Bet League One encounter, and Maloney provided an update on the Norwegian youth international’s condition after the game. 

“It doesn’t look good, Thelo is in a lot of pain. It’s a shame because he is a top player in this league and the leagues above elsewhere. I hope it’s not as bad as we fear.

“It’s a shoulder injury. He fell really awkwardly and it’s a shame. We’ll see how he is.”

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