Macclesfield re-wrote their club history by getting to this stage of the FA Cup but there will be no further chapters to pen for this particular Blue Square Bet Premier collective.
This fourth-round tie had all the portents of a shock: Wigan were one of the top-flight clubs eliminated from the Capital One Cup by Bradford this season, and have no FA Cup pedigree to speak of, having only once gone beyond this stage, way back in 1987.
Current dwellers in the Premier League relegation places, their immediate priorities clearly lie elsewhere, a fact emphasised when manager Roberto Martínez made eight changes from the league defeat to Sunderland a week ago. However, there was no place in Wigan's 18-man matchday squad for Mauro Boselli, the matchwinner in the replay at Bournemouth a fortnight ago. The Argentine forward was understand to have flown to Italy to finalise a loan move to Palermo.
But the offensive players Martínez did select combined to douse the pre-kick-off enthusiasm around the snug Moss Rose just half a dozen minutes in. Jordi Gómez's sweeping crossfield pass exposed Macclesfield full-back Ryan Jackson, and Callum McManaman ran purposefully at a home defence missing the suspended Pablo Mills.
McManaman's feet proved too quick for Thierry Audel, whose crude lunge offered Gómez the chance to open the scoring from the spot. Although Joe Anyon, the goalkeeper taken on emergency loan from Shrewsbury on the eve of the contest, got his right palm to the ball he could not keep it out.
The Premier League side were agonisingly close to doubling their advantage in the 21st minute when McManaman seized on Anyon's punched clearance from an inviting Ronnie Stam cross but, after side-stepping a challenge, fizzed his effort just wide of an upright.
Yet their non-league opponents coped admirably with the squally showers that swept in during the opening period to create some opportunities of their own. Matthew Barnes-Homer, scorer of both goals in the 2-1 victory against Championship leaders Cardiff in the previous round, had a left-footed drive well held by Wigan's own debutant goalkeeper Joel Robles, who then held Audel's header at the second attempt.
In between those efforts, Gómez stole possession deep into Macclesfield territory but his threaded pass was wastefully lashed over by on-loan Manchester United striker Angelo Henríquez.
When Nouha Dicko spurned another clear-cut chance immediately after the restart it suggested the Cheshire club might muster an equaliser but despite their endeavour they failed to fully extend the giant Robles again.
No comments:
Post a Comment