Manchester Super News

Heartbreak for Stockport as Orient edge tense semi-final on penalties Stockport County’s hopes of reaching the League One play-off final were dashed in agonising fashion as they lost out to Leyton Orient in a dramatic penalty shootout at a packed and passionate Edgeley Park. Author - Mark Lee After a controversial and tightly contested first leg ended level, the return fixture proved just as tense. Neither side could find a winner over 120 minutes of breathless football, with Orient eventually holding their nerve from the spot. It was Ethan Galbraith who delivered the decisive blow, slotting home the winning penalty after Stockport’s Jack Diamond saw his effort saved and Ryan Rydel struck the post. The match began at a furious pace. The visitors struck early, silencing the home crowd just two and a half minutes in when Ollie O’Neill volleyed in at the near post following a deftly delivered free-kick from Galbraith. Orient looked the more composed side in the early exchanges, but St...

Wigan edged past Warrington in a Magic Weekend thriller Wigan Warriors reclaimed second place in Super League with a narrow but gripping 22-20 victory over Warrington Wolves in a pulsating Magic Weekend encounter at St James’ Park. Author - Amy W Jai Field opened the scoring with a trademark burst of pace before Bevan French added a second to give Wigan an early cushion. Jake Thewlis responded for Warrington with a well-finished try in the corner, keeping the contest finely poised. Rodrick Tai’s try shortly after the interval gave the Wire renewed hope, but further scores from Abbas Miski and Adam Keighran appeared to put Wigan in command. However, Joe Philbin powered over to set up a tense finish, and Thewlis crossed for his second late on to bring Warrington within touching distance. READ MORE | Rugby League match reports and more from across Greater Manchester  Stefan Ratchford’s missed conversion proved decisive, leaving Wigan to cling on in the closing stages for a win tha...

Wigan Warriors climbed to second in the Super League. This was a composed and clinical victory over Hull FC at the KCOM Stadium. Author - Amy W The visitors made an immediate impact, opening the scoring within five minutes as Bevan French capitalised on a defensive lapse to claim his sixth league try of the season. Hull responded through Will Pryce, who cut inside smartly to reduce the deficit. Jai Field’s agile finish restored Wigan’s lead, and although Harvey Barron replied for the hosts, further scores from Junior Nsemba and Jake Wardle gave the Warriors a firm grip on the contest before the break. In the second half, Abbas Miski's acrobatic finish in the corner extended the advantage, before French added his second of the evening with a surging 80-metre run. Nsemba crossed again late on to complete a dominant team performance. READ MORE:  Meet our reporter that covers all things Wigan READ MORE: The last time these sides faced each other French’s opener came after he latch...

Wigan Athletic will be playing League One football next season  James Carragher's first-half header gave his side a 1-0 victory over Rotherham that mathematically secured their League One safety with three matches left to play. Author - Amy W Almost an unchanged squad for Wigan For the third game running, the Wigan Athletic boss picked an unchanged starting side. The only alteration in the entire squad saw Dion Rankine come in for former Joe Hungbo on the bench. How the game started and how Wigan took the lead After a relatively dour first half-hour in Wigan, Latics effectively took control of the match. First, Maleace Asamoah had an effort saved by Dillon Phillips. The Millers goalkeeper was left helpless nine minutes before the interval, as Owen Dale’s deep corner was met by Carragher, who headed in at the far post. READ MORE: Wigan 0 - 0 Wrexham Rotherham almost hit back immediately when Joe Powell’s free-kick found Mallik Wilks, but the forward could only nod wide from a pr...

A battling point for Wigan Athletic against promotion chasing Wrexham Many fans would have certainly taken that before the match. Author - Amy W The Latics shaded what was a largely uneventful opening half, with Maleace Asamoah curling wide for the hosts at the Brick Community Stadium. Midfielder George Dobson fired wide at the other end as both sides went into the break having failed to register a shot on target. Wrexham then appealed in vain for a penalty after Ryan Longman's cross hit Luke Robinson shortly after the interval as Wrexham improved. READ MORE: Exeter 1 - 1 Wigan match report Arthur Okonkwo produced a fine save to deny Asamoah shortly after the hour mark before keeping out an Owen Dale effort. Parkinson who was fresh from being named League One Manager of the Month for March then sent on Steven Fletcher, Elliot Lee, Ryan Barnett and Jack Marriott as Wrexham, who are second in the table, pushed for a winner. However, Wigan’s defence held firm and picked up what is...

Wigan were held to a frustrating draw at Exeter Wigan Athletic were made to settle for a point at St James Park, as Reece Cole's second-half strike earned Exeter City a 1–1 draw in a scrappy affair. Author - Amy W It was the hosts who had the first real sight of goal after 13 minutes, but Joel Colwill could only blaze his effort high and wide following a lay-off from Josh Magennis. Wigan responded well through Maleace Asamoah, whose lively play down the flank saw him cut inside sharply, only to see his effort comfortably gathered by Exeter keeper Joe Whitworth. Chances were few and far between in a largely cagey first half. Sam Tickle was called into action to keep out a long-range attempt from Cole, who then fired another effort over the bar from the resulting corner. The breakthrough came six minutes after the restart when Asamoah was brought down in the box by Angus MacDonald. Dale Taylor kept his cool from the spot, sending Whitworth the wrong way to put the Latics ahead. W...

Forino’s late strike ends Bolton’s long wait for derby win over Wigan Chris Forino struck deep into stoppage time to hand Bolton Wanderers their first victory over League One rivals Wigan Athletic in more than a decade. Author - Amy W The Bolton defender bundled home from a corner in the third minute of added time, securing Bolton’s first win against Wigan since an FA Cup tie in January 2015. Tensions boiled over in the aftermath, with heated exchanges in the technical area leading to Wigan manager Ryan Lowe being shown a red card, while goalkeeping coach Andy Lonergan received a yellow. Bolton settled into the game quicker, with Joel Randall’s shot deflected just past the far post by former Wanderers defender Will Aimson. Wigan had a golden opportunity of their own when Maleace Asamoah found space in the box, but he failed to direct his free header on target from Jonny Smith’s cross. READ MORE:  Stockport County 2 - 1 Burton Albion READ MORE:  Wigan Atheltic 1 - 0 Cambrid...

Robinson's late strike seals vital win for Wigan Luke Robinson came off the bench to score a late winner as Wigan Athletic edged past struggling Cambridge United, securing a crucial three points at the DW Stadium. Author - Amy W Robinson struck with just 13 minutes remaining, capitalising on a rebound to move the Latics 10 points clear of the relegation zone, while leaving Cambridge still firmly entrenched in trouble and 10 points from safety. The game’s first real chance fell to Wigan’s Dale Taylor, who failed to connect cleanly with a volley after Baba Adeeko nodded down an early cross from Luke Chambers — making his return to the side after five months out. Cambridge soon threatened themselves when Dom Ballard weaved his way through the Wigan defence, only to be denied by a superb low save from Sam Tickle. Click here for more football news from Manchester Super News Highlights source | Wigan YouTube channel Taylor again came close for the hosts, narrowly missing a cross from...

Another frustrating afternoon for Wigan Athletic  The Latics suffered late heartbreak as Reading struck twice in the final 20 minutes to turn the game around and snatch a 2-1 victory at the DW Stadium. Author - Amy W The first half was largely dominated by the visitors, with Latics goalkeeper Sam Tickle producing a string of fine saves to keep them at bay. He pushed away a powerful Lewis Wing free-kick from 25 yards before pulling off a stunning reflex stop to deny Andre Garcia from point-blank range. Match highlights | Wigan Athletic YouTube Wigan had a stroke of luck when Harvey Knibbs’ deflected effort looped over Tickle but landed on the roof of the net rather than in it. Tickle then had to be alert again, blocking Tyler Bindon’s effort to keep the scores level at the break. Elsewhere in Greater Manchester | Stockport 2 - 1 Burnley  Discover more EFL news from our friends at European Super Football  Latics grew into the game and broke the deadlock on the hour mark...

Wigan Warriors bounce back with dominant win ahead of their upcoming Las Vegas showdown The 2024 Super League Champions stormed back to winning ways with a ruthless performance against Hull FC, setting the stage for next week's landmark trip to Las Vegas to face Warrington Wolves. Author - Amy W Just a week after their shock 1-0 golden-p oint defeat to Leigh Leopards , Matty Peet’s men delivered a performance reminiscent of their previous all-conquering campaign, brushing aside Hull FC at the MKM Stadium. Jai Field stole the show in the first half, crossing for two tries, while Abbas Miski and Patrick Mago also got in on the act as Wigan raced into a commanding 22-0 lead at the break. Hull briefly threatened a response after the restart when Lewis Martin went over in the corner, but Wigan quickly snuffed out any hope of a comeback. Jordan Rapana’s short goal-line dropout backfired, allowing Tom Forber to capitalise for a fifth Warriors try. Moments later, another electric break...

An interesting League One match between two Greater Manchester sides Two goals in three minutes late on secured Stockport County a vital win at struggling Wigan, strengthening their push for the League One play-offs. Author - Amy W Wigan started brightly, with Jonny Smith cutting inside and forcing a corner, while at the other end, goalkeeper Sam Tickle produced a superb save to deny Ethan Pye. The hosts responded as James Carragher drilled a powerful low shot on target, only for Ben Hinchliffe to make a strong stop—his final contribution before being forced off and replaced by Corey Addai. Tickle then pulled off another stunning save at point-blank range to keep out former Wigan man Callum Connolly, who had latched onto Owen Moxon’s corner at the far post. Wigan had a golden opportunity to take the lead with 15 minutes remaining when Joseph Hungbo slipped in substitute Ronan Darcy, but Addai produced an outstanding save with his leg to keep the scores level. Just seven minutes lat...

A dramatic night in Wigan and incredible way to start the new Super League season Leigh Leopards stunned reigning champions Wigan Warriors with a golden-point victory in extra time on the opening night of the 2025 Super League season – after the two sides played out the first-ever 0-0 draw in the competition’s 29-year history. Author - Amy W Gareth O’Brien sealed the win with a decisive drop-goal three minutes into extra time, handing last season’s quadruple winners a losing start to their title defence. Both teams displayed remarkable defensive discipline in a fiercely physical derby between these local rivals, with neither able to break the deadlock during an intense but gripping 80 minutes. O’Brien’s one-pointer sparked jubilant celebrations, securing Leigh’s first victory at Wigan since 1983. The evening began with a real sense of occasion, featuring live music from The Lathums, pre-match pyrotechnics, and legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer welcoming the teams onto the p...

Wigan Athletic will have to concentrate on the league now  Rodrigo Muniz scored twice as Fulham held on to beat The Latics and reach the fifth round of the FA Cup. Author - Amy W The Premier League visitors quickly assumed control of possession at the Brick Community Stadium and deservedly opened the scoring when Muniz nodded home Ryan Sessegnon's cross midway through the first half. Martial Godo struck the side-netting and Issa Diop had a powerful header saved before half-time, but Marco Silva's side were pegged back out of nowhere early in the second period when Jonny Smith sent a magnificent curling strike into the far corner. Click for more Wigan news from Manchester Super News Previous match report: Wigan 1 - 1 Lincoln The Latics were on level terms for just five minutes, however, as Muniz collected a long Andreas Pereira pass in his stride before beating the onrushing Sam Tickle to take the wind out of Wigan's sails. The home side regrouped, though, and Ronan Dar...

One point gained or two dropped for Wigan? James Collins salvaged a late point for Lincoln City, converting an 88th-minute penalty at the second attempt against Wigan Athletic. Wigan started brightly, with Dale Taylor seeing an early effort deflected wide for a corner. But Lincoln came agonisingly close to a spectacular opener at the other end when Tom Bayliss curled a free-kick over the wall, only to see it crash against the crossbar. The hosts suffered a major setback after 25 minutes when Silko Thomas was stretchered off following a lengthy stoppage for treatment to his left leg. Despite the disruption, Wigan took the lead nine minutes before half-time. Taylor, on loan from Nottingham Forest, won possession and played in Jonny Smith, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner. EFL: 2024/2025 Click here for more football news from Manchester Super News However, Lincoln were handed a lifeline in the closing moments when James Carragher was penalised for holding Adam Jackso...

Can Wigan make a push for the playoffs? The Latics got back to winning ways with a solid 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers at the Brick Community Stadium. Author - Amy W The Latics made a dream start, taking the lead in just the seventh minute when James Carragher rose highest to meet a free kick and headed home his first senior goal. Substitute Jonny Smith sealed the win midway through the second half with a composed finish in a one-on-one situation. Shaun Maloney made four changes to the starting line-up for this Sky Bet League One clash. Carragher, Luke Robinson, Silko Thomas, and Joe Hungbo came in to replace Will Aimson, Jon Mellish, Michael Olakigbe, and Smith. There was also a welcome return to the matchday squad for Callum McManaman. The Latics couldn’t have asked for a better start. Hungbo’s well-placed free kick from the right found Carragher, who climbed above everyone to head the ball into the corner, marking his first professional goal. More football news from across Gre...

What next for Bolton? Ian Evatt has left his role as manager of Bolton Wanderers after Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Charlton Athletic. Author - Amy W Interesting developments from Bolton More reaction coming up on Manchester Super News and European Super Football. eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com/p/efl-202420... [image or embed] — European Super Football ( @superfootball.bsky.social ) 22 January 2025 at 20:49 The defeat leaves Bolton ninth in League One, three points adrift of the play-off spots, capping off a disappointing first half of the season. The 43-year-old took charge of the club in 2020 and made an immediate impact, securing automatic promotion from League Two in his debut campaign. He also guided Bolton to victory in the EFL Trophy final at Wembley in 2023 and led them to last season’s League One play-off final, where they were beaten by Oxford United. The club announced they are committed to appointing the “right” replacement and confirmed that academy coaches Julian Dar...

The pressure remains on Bolton boss Ian Evatt Zeno Ibsen Rossi's last-minute own goal allowed Bolton to escape with a lucky 2-2 draw against Cambridge at the Toughsheet Community Stadium. Author - Amy W Despite salvaging a point, Wanderers' fans continued to chant for the dismissal of manager Ian Evatt at the final whistle. Prior to Rossi deflecting skipper George Thomason's cross past goalkeeper Marko Marosi, it seemed like former Bolton player Elias Kachunga might be the hero for the visitors. Kachunga assisted on-loan Bristol City midfielder Josh Stokes, who scored his first league goal for Garry Monk's struggling side just four minutes into the match. Bolton equalized against the run of play half an hour later when Szabolcs Schon delivered a cross from the left, and John McAtee slid in to score. EFL: 2024/2025 Just moments later, Cambridge regained the lead thanks to James Brophy's effort on the right flank. Kachunga managed to outpace Ricardo Santos to reac...

It was a bad Boxing Day for Bolton Wanderers  Adam Phillips struck in the 89th minute to complete Barnsley’s dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Bolton at the Toughsheet Community Stadium. Author - Amy W Bolton 1 - 2 Barnsley More reaction to come on Manchester Super News... https://t.co/RVX8nvAO8H — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) December 27, 2024 The Tykes ended a 17-game winless streak against Wanderers, overturning a deficit with just 10 minutes left on the clock. Klaidi Lolos gave Bolton the lead in the 26th minute, scoring his third goal of the season, and for much of the match, it looked like Barnsley’s barren run against their hosts would continue. However, the visitors showed resilience despite a poor recent record of just one win in their previous eight matches across all competitions. They came close to levelling when former Bolton player Luca Connell hit the post early in the second half, while Jon Russell squandered two chances – firing over with only Nathan...