Earnie grabs a point for City

Last updated : 05 October 2002 By Michael Morris
To be fair Wigan should have won the game well before. City took the lead when Earnie turned in the box and fired home to the delight of a strong City away support. The cheers were short lived as Tony Dinning broke free to rifle past Alexander and another minute or two later it was 2 – 1 as the unlucky Alexander made two fine saves but could not stop Nathan Ellington’s effort as the ball broke loose. Wigan pressed and looked the more likely to score and they were in the ascendancy at half time.

Second half I felt they were not as direct and although they looked the more threatening a lot of that was from some shocking defending, Daniel Gabbidon the worse culprit.

Several players struggled to stay on their feet but the number of times Gabbidon quite literally fell over and lost possession was very alarming.

Neil Alexander made some superb stops and kept City in a game that could have been lost by four or five goals. City though are a different City than a season ago. The again excellent Gary Croft kept plugging away and it was his cross that was headed goalwards by Peter Thorne and Earnie, the poacher supreme, got the last touch and City earned a point.

Leo started the game with Legg on the bench as City went 4 – 3 – 3. Andy Campbell came on at half time for Leo in a tactical change, Chris Barker replaced an injured Rhys Weston and Layton Maxwell was Lennie’s last throw of the dice as he came on for a lucky Graham Kavanagh, lucky because both referee and linesman missed a raised hand as Kav took a whack at one of the Wigan players and should have been sent off.

City lacked width, especially down the right, Earnie was reluctant to go wide and when we did get down the right we looked threatening. Peter Thorne nearly stole a point for City when his header flashed wide but it was that man Earnshaw who take the headlines.

Cracking stadium, great atmosphere, entertaining game and a continuing unbeaten away record. It would have been doom and gloom if Earnie had not popped up with his late goal. In the past we would have lost this game, well done to the team for getting a very valuable point.

Well done to Wigan. They really looked a good team and very dangerous in attack. They only have themselves and Neil Alexander to blame for not taking all three points.