Latics edge out the Millers to secure safety – Wigan Athletic 1 Rotherham United 0

22/04/2025 02:00

• Wigan Athletic defeated Rotherham United 1-0 at the Brick Community Stadium and secured their League One safety with three games left to play.
• Latics threatened on 35 minutes through Asamoah Junior but his effort was saved by the Millers goalkeeper Dillon Phillips.
• From the resulting corner, Latics went ahead when Owen Dale’s deep cross was headed home at the back post by James Carragher.
• Rotherham had a great chance to draw level when Joe Powell’s free-kick was headed wide of the target by Mallik Wilks.
• Baba Adeeko then had a good chance to double Latics' lead but his shot was easily saved by Phillips.
• The visitors had another opportunity just before half-time but Sam Tickle made a superb save to deny Sam Nombe from point-blank range.
• Rotherham continued to press for an equaliser in the second half but Latics looked the most dangerous on the counter-attack with substitute Jonny Smith twice going close.
• Latics comfortably held on for the three points and are now in 15th place and Rotherham in 13th place in the League One table.

Latics Head Coach Ryan Lowe named an unchanged starting lineup for the third game running.

It looked like Latics had taken the lead inside five minutes as Dale's cross saw Dale Taylor challenge goalkeeper Phillips for the ball. 

There was limited contact with the keeper, Taylor got his head to it and headed over the line but referee Greg Rollason somewhat harshly disallowed the goal.

At the other end Josh Kayode had a chance to convert, but he sliced his effort well wide in the box.

Will Aimson drove forward for the Tics and drew a good save from Phillips from 25 yards before Asamoah Junior forced another save from Phillips.

From the resulting corner, the hosts took the lead nine minutes before the break. Dale's deep cross found Carragher at the back post and his header back across goal found the corner of the net.

The visitors should've equalised three minutes from the break as a Powell free-kick found Wilks but his free header was wide of Tickle's near post.

Adeeko then had a good chance to double Latics' lead but his shot was easily saved by Phillips.

Tickle then did brilliantly to deny Nombe with a point-blank save to preserve Latics' lead.

Early in the second half Jensen Weir tried his luck from distance before Taylor then played in Asamoah Junior, but his low strike was saved by the feet of Phillips.

Dale then had a shot from distance saved before the Millers substitute Jonson Clarke-Harris was denied by an important Carragher block.

Latics substitute Jonny Smith then curled an effort wide after cutting inside from the right.

Jonny Smith was causing plenty of problems and he had another opportunity on the counter attack but again after cutting inside, his effort was deflected over the crossbar.

The Millers pushed for a late leveller, but  Latics comfortably held on and crucially they secured another season in League One.

Overview

This was a hard fought narrow victory which mathematically secured Latics' League One safety with three games to play. 

Head Coach Lowe secured his second victory in charge of Latics and his team are now unbeaten in five games.

Lowe has been able to name the same starting lineup for the last three games and this has certainly helped the club to achieve more consistent performances.

Latics created more goalscoring opportunities than their opponents but the Millers did waste some golden opportunities to equalise.

Latics once again looked solid defensively and they created more goalscoring chances than they have done in many previous home games.

There is still plenty of room for improvement but Lowe's men look to be ending the season on a high note.

Post match comments

Speaking post-match to the media, Lowe was full of praise for his players and challenged them to now finish the 2024/25 campaign in style. 

"It was one of the most assured performances," he said.

"I was cautious today of them (Rotherham) snatching something late on, but I can't ask much more of the lads.

"They are giving us everything on the pitch. To get back-to-back wins in this division at this stage is obviously nice.

"People may think it was just about achieving safety, but I wish there were another 10 games to go so we could've started climbing up the table and collecting more points.

"We've got 52 points but I want more. We're going to give them a challenge from now until the end of the season and that's to try and get as high as we possibly can.

"The players take all the credit. They've been excellent on and off the pitch and were well worthy of the set-piece goal.

"It's been a big change for them with the formation and style of play. It's a new era for Wigan Athletic Football Club – and if we keep winning games of football, we'll get this place bouncing."

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