Scott Smith’s first goal in senior football was enough to send Wigan into the top half of League One thanks to a 1-0 victory over play-off chasing Blackpool.
After a keenly contested opening 20 minutes, Wigan came closer to opening the scoring when Jordan Jones’ left-wing cross was headed just wide by Thelo Aasgaard.
But the home side did hit the front after 26 minutes, with Jones again crossing from the left and this time 23-year-old Smith popping up from right wing-back to force the ball over the line.
Blackpool’s immediate attempts at a leveller were foiled when George Byers’ shot was comfortably saved by Sam Tickle, who then made a brilliant stop to deny substitute Shayne Lavery – who had replaced the injured Jordan Rhodes.
The visitors showed they had not given up the fight early in the second half when Matt Pennington went right through the back of Stephen Humphrys, only to escape with a yellow card.
Indeed, Wigan boss Shaun Maloney was so angered he was shown a yellow card by referee James Linington.
Blackpool sent on Kyle Joseph in search of an equaliser, and the Wigan Academy graduate almost found a leveller when he nodded a deep cross just wide of the far post.
Match report supplied by PA Media
Line-ups
Wigan
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Tickle
21Smith6Hughes15Kerr24Chambers
26Adeeko8Smith
17Godo10Aasgaard14Jones
11Humphrys
- 1Tickle
- 21Smith
- 6HughesBooked at 45mins
- 15Kerr
- 24Chambers
- 26AdeekoBooked at 22mins
- 8SmithSubstituted forShawat 78’minutes
- 17GodoSubstituted forKelmanat 78’minutes
- 10AasgaardSubstituted forMagennisat 82’minutes
- 14JonesBooked at 49minsSubstituted for Goodeat 82’minutes
- 11HumphrysSubstituted forS Sessegnonat 70’minutes
Substitutes
- 5S Sessegnon
- 12Amos
- 16Shaw
- 18Smith
- 23Kelman
- 28Magennis
- 29Goode
Blackpool
Formation 3-5-2
32Grimshaw
5Pennington21Ekpiteta20Casey
4Lawrence-Gabriel11Dembélé6Norburn7Byers15Coulson
16Rhodes18Beesley
- 32Grimshaw
- 5PenningtonBooked at 62minsSubstituted forCareyat 83’minutes
- 21 Equip
- 20Casey
- 4Lawrence-Gabriel
- 11DembéléSubstituted forJosephat 69’minutes
- 6NorburnSubstituted forVirtueat 83’minutes
- 7ByersBooked at 42mins
- 15Coulson
- 16RhodesSubstituted forLaveryat 23’minutes
- 18BeesleySubstituted forHamiltonat 69’minutes
Substitutes
- 1O’Donnell
- 2Connolly
- 9Joseph
- 10Carey
- 17Virtue
- 19Lavery
- 22Hamilton
Referee:James Linington
Attendance:13,964
Live Text
Match ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Blackpool 0.
Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Blackpool 0.
Foul by Matty Virtue (Blackpool).
Scott Smith (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Marvin Ekpiteta (Blackpool).
Charlie Kelman (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Liam Shaw (Wigan Athletic).
Attempt missed. Kyle Joseph (Blackpool) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Matty Virtue with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Jason Kerr.
Attempt saved. Shayne Lavery (Blackpool) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kyle Joseph with a cross.
Substitution, Blackpool. Sonny Carey replaces Matthew Pennington.
Substitution, Blackpool. Matty Virtue replaces Oliver Norburn.
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Charlie Goode replaces Jordan Jones.
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Josh Magennis replaces Thelo Aasgaard.
Attempt missed. Thelo Aasgaard (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jordan Jones.
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Liam Shaw replaces Matt Smith.
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Charlie Kelman replaces Martial Godo.
Attempt missed. Kyle Joseph (Blackpool) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Matthew Pennington.
Attempt blocked. Matthew Pennington (Blackpool) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Hayden Coulson with a cross.
2024-03-16 17:19:11
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