Wycombe 2 Latics 2
How many times this season has it happened? Just when it looks like the Latics will lose on their travels, they pull out all the stops and grind out a result. At Brentford in early season, the Latics lasted 30 minutes without star defender Fitz Hall but held on. At Port Vale Baudet had an early bath, whilst at Crewe, the Blues faced an equaliser against a side gaining confidence during the game but we went on to win. Then Tranmere, Pogliacomi saves a penalty and the Latics win again, but this had to be the most unlikely - avoiding going down at Wycombe was another huge body swerve against an away defeat.
By rights, despite it being unjust, the script looked set to see the Adams Park curse strike the Latics again. But Dowie's boys just won't lie down and take it. And even better - the heroes of the day (apart from Man of the Match Pogliacomi who made 2 vital saves) were 2 players who must have been wondering where their future lay under the new regimes of then Wadsworth, and now Dowie.
The spirit installed in Duxbury and Carss alone epitomises the team and their efforts. I have no doubt that with those 2 players in a line up at Boundary Park, our home record will improve immensely. However, on this day it was on their travels that Duxbury made a vital clearance off the line before Carss netter an unlikely late equaliser.
Unfortunately though, as is often the case now, the equaliser came after yet another poor referee had ruined the Latics chances of their first ever win at Wycombe. Firstly, the officials ignored a blatant 1st half elbow to the nose of Baudet by Simpson and then soon after the re-start the referee sent the Frenchman off for a lunge at Steve Brown. The replay shows that admittedly the challenge was late but there is not one shred of doubt that Baudet goes for the ball. A straight red should be if it was full of intent and malicious, but it wasn't. Obviously the referee felt Baudet was still writhing from the first half incident, but even a Wycombe fan I spoke to after the game admitted he was amazed at the decision.
Dowie and fans are now getting tired that referees are out to sabotage the Latics promotion hopes. It's obvious now that ref's are looking at the bottom of the fair-play league for Division 2, seeing us there and instantly making up their minds that we're a dirty side. That has a habit of swaying a referee's opinion and the truth is, it is poor ref's that have put us in the disciplinary position and poor ref's that are keeping us there. It's an impossible situation.
However, there are better things to discuss about in this match than waste time on a poor ref. The visitors proved once again that on their day, they're a match for anyone and Latics fans were treated to some of the best passing movements witnessed for a good while. The Latics were fast, slick, well-oiled and dangerous, but even so, Wycombe were fast in breaking and they almost caught the Latics out once or twice. Indeed, it was as though we were the home team and they were trying to score on the break. That is very strange to see on our travels.
Despite the Latics playing very clean football and after Murray and Andrews had both gone close but fired marginally wide, it was the Chairboys who came the closest to opening the scoring. With the Latics sleeping, Brown skipped through into the box to test Pogliacomi with a low, passing effort. Pogi did well to palm the ball out of goal but it landed to Simpson who fired at goal. Duxbury knew little about the effort as he nodded the ball off the line. The Latics responded though and from a corner ball Andrews superbly rose above the defence, to nod in from 8 yards. 1-0.
Looking to increase their lead, the visitors then saw Baudet fire just wide on 27, but Wycombe managed to get hold of the ball a bit more towards the end of the half and the Latics needed to be alert. However, so did the referee but on 31, he amazingly allowed Steve Brown to get away with an elbow in John Eyre's back which sent the Latics man sprawling. Brown raced clear but from just inside the box, he placed a poor shot straight at Pogi. Minutes later, the Latics had another scare as Roberts threatened to burst through, but Hall did enough to put off any attempt of a shot by the Wycombe player.
As the half closed, Wycombe had the better of it but without any real punch. The Latics were slowly getting frustrated by the ref's complete bias to the home side and this grew ten-fold as on the half-time whistle, Simpson rammed an elbow into Baudet's nose and the referee completely ignored it. Did blood just magically appear? No and more was nearly spilled as the Frenchman lost his cool and went on the rampage. Fortunately, although it took 3 people, they managed to hold him back from further trouble.
The 2nd half brought more of the same from the referee, but the script was now firmly written. Baudet, clearly incensed by the injustice on 45, only needed to give the referee one excuse and he was off. Albeit slightly late, the defender-cum-midfielder tackled Brown with full-blood and clipped the ball, but in doing so Brown took a knock. The referee pulled out a red card, which astonished everyone in the ground (although probably not Sanchez because he's a ******.)
Everything was going against the home side now and after a 54th minute long ranger from Brown that curled just wide, Andrews was barged into and sent flying but still the referee gave us nothing. The Latics couldn't get forward because either the man disadvantage or Wycombe's rough tactics, were stopping us - tactics which should have warranted some free-kicks but were not given.
Fortunately though, the referee (having got one main decision wrong) finally got something right. On 64, John Eyre stood his ground in the Latics area but Faulconbridge ran into him and collapsed, looking for the penalty. Not knowing what the man in black would do, he rightly waved play on. Seconds later though, the defence was under pressure again and Pogi had to fingertip over a Brown header after another decent cross had be fired in. The big Aussie claimed the corner with ease and it was noticeable that he was commanding his area and catching almost everything that came into it. However, he could do little on 70, when finally the Chairboys pulled level.
Wycombe had made 3 substitutes in an effort to take advantage of the visitors 10 men. And within seconds of coming on, nobody cut out another decent cross by Danny Senda and that allowed substitute Harris plenty of time and space to nod over Pogi. 1-1.
Having watched the chance of a 1st ever win at Adams Park be taken from us, the Latics now had to proceed with damage limitation and keep the hosts at bay. But Armstrong did totally the opposite and gave the referee no option on 85, as he was turned and in a wild challenge he upended the Wycombe man. Brown coolly slotted home what he thought would be the winner. 1-2.
After coming back from injury, Tony Carss had looked excellent in his short substitute appearance. Within 60 seconds of the hosts taking the lead, Carss was on hand to lash home Fitz Hall's throw-in which hadn't been properly cleared. 571 Latics fans went wild as though they had netted a winner. In truth it was almost as good as and was justice for a game which should have been won but for some terrible decisions. 2-2.
It's getting ridiculous now that we have to keep talking about referees with every game. And Dowie has even admitted that he is becoming increasingly tired and frustrated at referees attempts to stop our promotion charge. If the Latics go up, we deserve it more than anyone. Wigan are injury and suspension free, Cardiff have millions to throw at it and Bristol City have been lucky not to lose before this current bad spell (Mansfield and Notts Co which was abandoned when they were 1 down). Even Crewe have netted late, late winners (1 vs Huddersfield on Saturday) but the Latics have had none of this. Maybe there's a conspiracy and the league wants Wigan and Cardiff in Division 1.
Regardless, the Boundary Park lads are back in form, back to their best and soon we'll have as near to a full squad as we've had all season. With Carss and Appleby back, Holden, Corazzin, Winjhard only weeks away and Low only days away. The heat is on. Let's hope we can turn it up even further after Crewe (Jan 25th) and then Cardiff (Jan 31st). Now is the time!!!