MATCH REPORT | Chester 1-7 Wigan Athletic
Chester got their pre-season off to a losing start, against a strong Wigan Athletic side.
Goals from Josh Windass, Kai Naismith, Callum Lang gave the Championship side a three goal lead before Trialist B pulled one back for the Blues, and a Joe Garner hat-trick, as well as a strike from Charlie Jolley in the second half sealed an emphatic victory for the Latics.
The Blues got off to the worst possible start as Trialist A lost the ball in the centre of the park and Callum Lang played in Josh Windass, who perfectly placed an effort inside the far post to give Wigan the lead after just three minutes.
Chester looked to work their way back into the game and forced a corner from the restart that lead to a headed chance for Danny Livesey, but he couldn’t find the target.
Wigan’s class began to show though and they were playing some really good football, Lee Evans exchanged passes with Callum Lang on the edge of the Chester penalty area but dragged his shot wide of Theo Roberts’ goal.
The hosts were still pushing hard though and created a chance as Trialist A dispossed the Wigan defence, but Jamie Jones was out quickly to smother his goalbound effort.
The Blues quickly followed that up with another chance as James Jones rose highest to Gary Roberts’ free kick, but couldn’t direct his header on target.
Chester’s best spell of pressure came after half an hour, when Jamie Morgan found Trialist B in space in the penalty area, but his shot on the turn was just wide of the post.
Wigan still looked very dangerous though and Kai Naismith picked out Anthony Pilkington it looked like they may double their lead, but Joel Taylor did well to get back and deflect the shot out for a corner.
The class of the visitors showed as left back Kai Naismith controlled a ball well on his chest before coolly beating Roberts in the Chester goal.
Two quickly became three as Anthony Pilkington’s good work down the right lead to a pass to Callum Lang, who controlled the ball inside the six yard box and fired past Theo Roberts.
Wigan looked potent, immediately pressing the Blues midfield from a throw in and playing in Wigan’s Gary Roberts but James Jones made a really good sliding challenge to deny him a shot on goal.
The Blues got one back on the stroke of half time due to a superb piece of play from Trialist B, controlling the ball, turning into space and using his pace to get away from the Wigan defence and firing a really good effort into the bottom corner with his left foot.
Any momentum Chester had hoped to gain from the late goal was halted within the first minute of the second half, James Jones’ backpass sold Trialist D short and Joe Garner got in and finished well.
Joe Garner continued to cause problems for the Blues defence and won a penalty for his side, Garner stepped up to take it and sent Trialist D the wrong way for his second and Wigan’s fifth.
Wigan added a sixth in the sixty-fourth minute as Joe Garner was played in by Michael Jacobs and coolly finished to complete his hat-trick with a chip.
Chester kept going and almost pulled one back from a short corner, Bradley Jackson’s cross was met with a powerful header from George Waring, but he was denied by the underside of the crossbar, with the rebound to Grand being tipped over by Owen Evans in the Wigan goal.
With five minutes remaining Wigan added a seventh as Charlie Jolley broke the Blues back line and fired beyond Trialist D.
Chester
First Half: Roberts, Morgan, Taylor, Jones, Livesey, Grand, Roberts, Burton (c), Trialist A, Trialist B, Trialist C.
Second Half: Trialist D, Thomson, Jones (Macready 83), Grand, Waters, Jackson, Trialist E, Stopforth, Mahon, Dudley, Waring.
Substitutes: Murray, Marsh-Hughes.
Wigan
First Half: Jones, Byrne, Naismith, Obi, Kipre, Evans, Perry, Pilkington, Roberts, Windass, Lang.
Second Half: Evans, Lopes, Dunkley, Fox, Golden, Morsy, Weir, Jolley, Gelhardt, Jacobs, Garner.
Goal Scorers: Chester: Trialist B (45). Wigan: Windass (3), Naismith (33), Lang (34), Garner (46, 59, 64), Jolley (87).
Attendance: 1,277