Wigan Athletic vs Preston North End. Sky Bet Championship.
DW StadiumAttendance15,429.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Wigan and Preston at the DW Stadium as the Latics and North End played out a goalless draw on the opening Saturday of the new campaign.
Saturday 30 July 2022 20:07, UK
Wigan picked up a point on their Sky Bet Championship return after being held to a goalless draw by a Preston side who had substitute Ched Evans sent off late on.
The Latics, last season's League One champions, started well and asked several questions of their established second-tier opponents.
Preston could not clear a corner and, after a scramble, Jack Whatmough's shot was diverted just wide of the near post.
James McClean then shot wide from distance and Josh Magennis volleyed over as North End struggled to get a foothold in the game.
Wigan were checked when Whatmough stayed down in the Preston half and, with referee Bobby Madley refusing to stop play, Max Power had to take a tactical booking.
Whatmough was able to continue but his uncharacteristic slip on halfway allowed Emil Riis to run in on goal.
The forward shot towards the far post but it flew wide of the target - and just in front of the inrushing Robbie Brady.
Whatmough's miserable afternoon did not improve, and he hobbled off shortly afterwards to be replaced by Jason Kerr.
North End ended the half on top and were only denied an interval lead by a stunning double save from Ben Amos.
Troy Parrott raced clean through only for Amos to make a fantastic stop, with the rebound going to Riis.
He simply had to score, only for Amos to somehow flick the ball over the top at point-blank range.
From the resulting corner, a mad scramble saw the ball bundled over via Riis and the Latics crossbar.
The home side were more grateful to hear the whistle for half-time and came out rejuvenated for the second period.
A deep cross from Power was flicked back by Magennis and Kerr's effort was only just diverted behind for a corner.
Wigan were half-claiming for a penalty when Will Keane appeared to be clipped in the area by the last Preston defender.
To his credit, the Ireland forward played on and saw his shot blocked, with his manager in the technical area visibly wondering what might have happened had he gone to ground.
The official then received pelters from the home fans for stopping the game for a non-head injury to Preston skipper Alan Browne, having not done so in the first half when Whatmough was felled.
Power, predictably, was incensed, as players of both sides waved a few handbags in the centre of the field.
Preston threatened when Parrott, on the shoulder of the last defender, got his shot away, only to see it roll wide of the far post.
But the visitors were left facing an anxious last 10 minutes when, eight minutes after entering the field, substitute Evans was sent off.
The striker went in very late on a grounded Curtis Tilt, who was lucky not to sustain a serious injury as he took two lots of studs in the chest.
Wigan almost won it at the death, only for skipper Tendayi Darikwa's shot to be deflected over by a desperate defender.
Wigan's Leam Richardson: "I certainly don't think the sending-off helped us in the closing stages. Looking at the first half, I thought they probably shaded it with the couple of chances they created right at the end. But in the second half I thought we came into it more, and when it was 11 against 11 we were pushing up and creating spaces.
"After the sending off they were able to drop that extra 10 yards, denying us that space, and we have to be better in moving the ball around. On reflection, a clean sheet, a point on the board, with the same team that won us promotion, I think these lads have done great. It was everything we expected and more from the day, a big derby on the opening weekend. The crowd would have enjoyed it, I thought the pace of the game was excellent and the players all gave a good account of themselves."
Preston's Ryan Lowe: "We could be better in possession, we had some good moments and some good patterns of play, we got some great opportunities and could have scored a couple of goals. Ultimately Wigan put their bodies on the line for the cause and they had some moments of play and there were good things from them. I thought there were two teams definitely trying to win the game and get the points at either end. I was more pleased with the reaction when we went down to 10 men.
"I think sometimes we could have had a soft underbelly last season and lost that, but the back lads were resilient. I'd have liked a bit more, I would have liked a couple of goals. I thought we had some great chances to score some goals, the goalkeeper makes a double save, clear-cut chances. If they go in it's a different game. But the resilience that the lads showed for the last 10 minutes…they're battered and bruised there. It was a point, I'd have loved three points but, as the lads said in there, if you can't win it then you don't get beat."
