Wigan Athletic 0 Port Vale 0

Final Third Development League

Wigan Athletic 0 Port Vale 0

A young Vale team battled to a goalless draw away to league leaders Wigan Athletic at Christopher Park, the home of Wigan’s training ground.

The conditions were blustery making good football difficult but Vale were the first to show after ten minutes when a cross from Ryan Lloyd was cleared and Louis Tambini had a shot blocked.

minute Wigan thought they had broken the deadlock when a cross by Jack Phillips was headed home by Ryan Meadows but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Ryan Boot.^thIn the 25

minute Elliott Osbourne played a good through ball to Lloyd in space only for the Vale midfielder to be flagged offside.^rdRyan Jennings beat two men on a mazy run but a good tackle by Ricardo Swarby halted his progress and it was Jennings again who had Wigan’s next attempt on goal when his 25 yard shot sailed wide of the mark. In the 33

Seven minutes before the break Vale went close when Ben Jefford, having just returned from a loan spell at Southport, hit a shot from outside the box which flew just over the bar.

The more experienced Wigan side upped the tempo in the second half but the Vale defence were in no mood to crumble. Taiwanese midfielder Tim Chow had a shot saved by Boot and Jennings fired over. A free kick on the edge of the box briefly threatened the Vale defence but Ivan Ramis curled his effort over the bar. Little was being seen of the Vale attack but when a good ball from Tom Morris found Osbourne in space he was given offside.

minute Jennings set up Antelmi but his 20 yard shot flew just past Boot’s left hand post. Josh McEachran hit a free kick from the edge of the box that was tipped over by Boot, but in the end the Vale can be pleased with their display, particularly in defence in which they remained solid throughout.^stIn the 71

Wigan Athletic– Marosi, Rogne (Leigh 61), Garcia, Ramis (Wilson 71), Holgersson, Meadows, Phillips, McEachran, Antelmi, Chow (Johnson 80), Jennings

Subs not used – Ainscough, Cosgrove

Port Vale– Boot, Swaby, Price, Morris, Jefford, Carvalho, Reeves (Wright 78), Lloyd, Osbourne, Dell, Tambini

Subs not used –Smith, Beesley, Lander

Match Report - Phil Sherwin