Wigan Robin Park v AFC Liverpool, 31st March 2009

The Little Reds' away trip to the Robin Park Arena had originally been scheduled for December 2008 during our inaugural season. A frozen pitch that day meant I watched Liverpool's 3-1 win at Blackburn in a Wigan pub instead, having travelled unaware of the postponement. 

 Upon my return to the Robin Park Arena in the Spring, I could see it was a pretty impressive establishment; even though it meant the action was a bit detached from the football spectator. I got the impression that much of the home support that night were not Robin regulars; but those who were enticed for a one off occasion against one of the Vodkat League’s higher profile sides. 

 The match itself was fairly even all the way through. Andy Olsen went close with a first half header. At the other end, Reds’ keeper Jack Baker had to be smart to deny the home side in a couple of one on one situations. 

 After the break, Wigan went into the lead around the halfway point of the second half, courtesy of a goal which followed a free kick played into our box. It was well into the last ten minutes when a Dave Eaton strike restored parity, after a well worked move that must have involved at least two other players. 

 Following on from the equaliser, we did keep pressing. But it was the home side who could have won it in the most bizarre circumstances. One of our defenders cleared the ball, only to find it rebounding off the referee's backside into the path of one of their strikers. Thankfully, their fella did not capitalise.  We did go home with the point which was the least we deserved.

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