Under-18s Held To Goalless Draw With Latics
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: Blackpool v Shrewsbury Town (Football League Youth Alliance - North West league, Saturday 19 March 2016, 11am kick-off) NEXT FIXTURE
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ASSISTANTS: Barry Houghting & Mark Kelly
: Kieran Johnson REFEREE
UNSUSED SUBS: Theo Roberts (GK), Charlie Forecast, Matthew Taylor.
: Kelland Absalom (GK); Anthony Plant (Jack White, 88), Alex Lingard, Sam Stubbs, Luke Burke (C), Joshua Beaumont, Matthew Rimmer (Nathan Randell, 70), Arnold Baxendale, Christopher Sang, James Barrigan, Callum Lang. WIGAN ATHLETIC LINE-UP
BOOKED: Roberts (61), Gallagher (90+1).
UNUSED SUBS: Joel Bonner, Aaron Gildin George Hassall.
: Charlie Bannister (GK); Ryan Sears, Callum Roberts, George Hughes, Callum Grogan (C), Joel Carta (Ryan Barnett, 52), Joe Kenton (Jordan Wilson, 65), Chris Gallagher, Ethan Jones, John McAtee, Mathew Jones. SHREWSBURY TOWN LINE-UP
FULL-TIME: Shrewsbury Town 0-0 Wigan Athletic
Even with seven minutes of added time at the end of the match, neither side could find the breakthrough and the game finished goalless.
Substitute Jordan Wilson also went close with two minutes of normal time left as he sent a bullet header over at the near post from Chris Gallagher's corner on the left.
Good interplay on the edge of the Wigan box also saw Ethan Jones shoot low and just wide of the left post.
Town continued to search for the breakthrough, however, and John McAtee send a downward header just wide of the left post from substitute Ryan Barnett's deep cross with just over 20 minutes to go.
There was also another chance for Wigan in the 65th minute as Town failed to clear their lines and Luke Burke shot low and agonisingly wide of the left post.
At the other end, a minute later, Shrewsbury thought they had taken the lead when Ethan Jones pounced on a loose ball inside the penalty area on the right, but his high shot hit the side netting at the near post.
The next effort arrived in the 62nd minute when Wigan's Matthew Rimmer drilled the ball over the bar from 30 yards out.
Town got the second half underway although there was a five-minute pause in play when Bannister had to leave the field.
HALF-TIME: Shrewsbury Town 0-0 Wigan Athletic
The Latics also went close two minutes into added time at the end of the first half but Sang's bicycle kick was straight at Bannister.
Wigan's best chance of the match also arrived in the 37th minute when Anthony Plant's looping shot from the right side of the box looked to be heading in - but for Bannister who backpeddled to tip it over.
Dawes' side should have taken the lead in the 26th minute, though, when Ethan Jones pulled back a cross from the left and Kenton fired over at the top right corner inside the penalty area.
At the other end, Shrews' on-loan goalkeeper Charlie Bannister was forced into a low stop from Callum Lang's 20-yard strike.
The first moment of danger arrived when Joe Kenton sped down the Shrewsbury right in the 15th minute and crossed low across the face of goal with nobody on the end of it.
Wigan got the game underway at Shrewsbury Sports Village but it was Town who started on the front foot with slick, passing football, although it was another battle for both teams after many of the players had featured in the Final Third Development League - West Division clash on the Tuesday before.
FIRST HALF
Mathew Jones replaced Nathan Millis at left wing back while Callum Grogan came in for Joel Bonner in defence.
Head of Academy coaching Ian Dawes made two changes to the side which beat Walsall at home a week before.
TEAM NEWS
Town's under-18s travel to Blackpool in the league next.
In a game of few chances, Ethan Jones and Jordan Wilson went closest for the Shrews.
Shrewsbury Town were held to a goalless draw by leaders Wigan Athletic in the Football League Youth Alliance - North West league on Saturday morning.