An end-to-end contest at St James Park between Exeter City and Wigan Athletic was unable to provide a winner as the full-time whistle blew with the score 1-1. The spoils were shared as Gary Caldwell’s side failed to score more than one goal for the 12th time this season, equal to 80% of the Grecians’ League One fixtures.
It was the visitors who had the bigger share of the opportunities in the first half. Callum Wright had the chance to put the Latics in front but a superb block from Exeter captain Pierce Sweeney kept the game goalless. Joe Kerr headed wide from close range, and keeper Joe Whitworth was called into action after a pass was deflected into the path of Wright, but the Crystal Palace loanee was more than up to the task to deny him.
The pressure eventually subsided however, as Wright looked not to let another chance go begging when Morgan Fox played a ball in behind the home side’s defence, making no mistake in putting the ball beyond Whitworth. Exeter were unable to respond to the visitors’ attacking onslaught, as even though they enjoyed a whopping 75% of the first-half’s possession, they never looked as if their possession would result in a good chance, never mind a goal. A strike from outside the box by Jack McMillan proved to be the only serious threat Wigan keeper Sam Tickle would have to deal with in the first 45 minutes.
But when the sides returned after the break, Exeter were able to turn their dominance of the ball into something concrete. A whipped ball from Reece Cole was met by Jayden Wareham at the near post, who was able to do just enough to put the ball into the net for the third time in three games, and give him the chance to celebrate with a backflip once more.
In the game’s latter stages both sides exchanged blows. Jack Aitchison’s effort required a goal-line clearance from Wigan’s defence, and Kerr headed wide once more to keep the game locked at 1-1. Christian Saydee thought he had won it when he put the ball in the net only to see the play pulled back for a handball in the build-up.
The game was to finish all square, in spite of the second half’s entertainment.
After the game, Caldwell spoke of his side’s ‘brilliant’ performance in the second half against Wigan, the team he won the FA Cup with as captain back in 2013, saying it ‘should’ve been a 1-0 game’ had the Grecians not started as slowly as they did.
Drawing means Exeter haven’t lost in four games, although they still sit just two places above the relegation zone in nineteenth. It also means Wigan remain only a point above Exeter in sixteenth. City’s next league game comes away to Leyton Orient on Saturday.
