Let's Hang On

View from the away end

• Wigan Athletic’s nine game unbeaten run came to an end at Port Vale as they were defeated 3-2 in a game of two halves.
• Latics were woeful in the first half and were 2-0 down at half time as Ethan Chislett scored in the 21st and 43rd minutes for the hosts.
• The visitors were much improved in the second half and they drew level through substitutes Chris Sze and Charlie Wyke in the 63rd and 77th minutes.
• It looked as though Latics had rescued a point but with seven minutes remaining Chislett completed his hat-trick via a deflection off defender Charlie Hughes.
• Latics drop to 17th and Port Vale move up to 15th in the League One Table.

Shaun Maloney had made one change to the starting XI who had drawn with Lincoln City as Steven Sessegnon came in for Liam Morrison who dropped to the bench.

The hosts were quickly out of the blocks and Latics were fortunate not to be behind inside five minutes as former Tics academy graduate Alfie Devine crossed for Conor Grant whose effort hit Chislett and fortunately for Sam Tickle, rebounded off the crossbar and into his hands.

Chislett was proving to be a big threat and five minutes later he picked up a loose Latics pass and darted in behind, but his cross was deflected over.

Latics were completely off the pace and Vale were dominant with the dangerous Devine feeding Oliver Arblaster whose effort deflected wide. After 20 minutes there was a scramble in the box, the ball fell  into the path of Chislett, but he dragged his shot wide.

The visitors were strangely subdued and on 21 minutes Port Vale deservedly went ahead.

Former Latic Gavin Massey’s low cross was met by Chislett who steered his effort low past Tickle.

Jordan Jones and Jonny Smith briefly threatened from out wide with crosses, but it was mainly one-way traffic and Arblaster tried his luck from 20 yards out but Tickle saved.

Smith had a rare chance for Latics on 35 minutes, his effort from the right beat goalkeeper Conor Ripley but also evaded the post.

Grant then curled an effort over the crossbar from the edge of the box before Chislett doubled the hosts lead on 43 minutes.

Arblaster played the ball into the path of Chislett who took a touch before finding the bottom corner.

Latics had been desperately poor in the first half but Stephen Humphrys had a glorious chance to reduce the arrears in added time as Jones fed him down the left, but he disappointingly dragged his effort wide of the far post.

Maloney must surely have given his players a rocket at half time and he made two changes as Morrison and Wyke came on for Kell Watts and Smith.

Ben Garrity had the first effort of the second half, but Tickle was equal to it before a cross from the right from Massey was so nearly met by the dangerous Chislett.

Chislett was again denied by Tickle on 52 minutes before he had to be quickly back up on his feet to deny Devine’s powerful strike.

Clare was in the right place in the right time to deny Arblaster before Morrison did likewise on the goal line to deny Vale a third.

McManaman and Sze replaced Humphrys and Clare on 61 minutes and both substitutes were soon in the action.

Latics reduced the deficit on 63 minutes when Sze grabbed his first league goal.

Lang nicked the ball in midfield and drove towards the box, before pulling the ball back for the arriving Sze who fired high into the roof of the net, via the head of a Vale defender. 

Latics started to threaten now and Lang went down in the box following a long throw, but the referee waved away the penalty appeals before Sze was slipped in again, but his cross was inches away from Wyke at the far post.

The Tics did draw level on 77 minutes as a pumped up McManaman did superbly down the right to turn his marker before delivering a quality cross for Wyke at the back post who finished first time.

At the other end Devine was denied by the post on 80 minutes as he found space in the box.

With seven minutes remaining Baba Adeeko appeared to be pushed in the back but Chislett was allowed to continue and the midfielder’s strike deflected off Hughes and agonisingly looped over Tickle for what proved to be the winner. 

Wyke had a half chance into added time, but unfortunately his header just cleared the crossbar.

A much improved second half performance by Latics but the first half performance had been so abysmal that Port Vale had deserved to run out winners.

Latics on the attack

Overview

This had been an unacceptable first half performance by Latics as they could barely string two passes together. They lacked energy and seemingly commitment. Rumours that the players had been partying in midweek may have had an impact. They had badly let down the travelling fans in the first half.

No doubt Maloney and Graham Barrow etc will have had strong words in the dressing room and they made good substitutions at the break bringing on Wyke and Morrison and soon afterwards introducing McManaman and Sze.

It was a much improved display after the substitutions and the level of effort and commitment was significantly better.

Maloney’s men have struggled to get goals from central positions in recent games and it was significant that they looked much more of a threat with Wyke and Sze in the box and McManaman providing the crosses.

Wyke, Sze and McManaman should all start at Reading next Saturday.

Post match comments

Speaking afterwards, Maloney described the defeat as a game of two opposite halves, with the second pleasing him to an extent in terms of his side’s response. 

“I’ve said to the fans all along, I can’t guarantee wins, and we’ll win and lose games,” he said.

“The way we played in the second half, I can accept if we lose. It was the very opposite in the first half.

“The players and staff have been brilliant for two months, and when the levels are slightly down in any game, we can get hurt.

“We definitely got hurt in the first half today, and I’ll give Port Vale a lot of credit because they were very good.

“The first half, from my team’s point of view, we were down on our levels, and when we are like that, we are not going to win games.

“The second half was everything I wanted to see from our team, and I’d rather go out like that than in the first half.”

Latics will have an opportunity to bounce back and start a new run next weekend when they travel to Reading FC.

Maloney spoke about the importance of remaining focused and showing the desire to pick up all three points at Reading.

“Before we even think about the result, we have to think about the performance and the levels of effort and desire to win a game.

“If we get that right, we’ll give ourselves a chance at Reading. Football can hurt you when you start to become a little bit complacent.

“It’s my job to drag this team and Club out of any form of complacency.”

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