Grant McCann made one change to the Hull City starting XI from their 2-1 away win at Lincoln City that saw The Tiger’s secure promotion back to The Championship. Ritchie Smallwood returned to the starting XI, Regan Slater moved to the bench for this tie and may feel a little hard done by after knocking up some good performances in Smallwood's absence.
In a game for the neutral, today's tie certainly provided entertainment from the off. Free flowing, end-to-end football ensued from the off with both City and Wigan having everything to play for, City with the prospect of a first championship trophy since the 1965-66 season, Wigan with League One survival.
It wasn't long before the goal scoring opened up, Keane Lewis-Potter putting City one-nil ahead in the seventeenth minute, his bullet header proved too much for Jamie Jones in the Wigan goal. City's lead wasn't to survive for very long as Joe Dodoo levelled the game for Wigan straight from the restart, reiterating the game's stature as one for the footballing neutral.
City saw their lead restored five minutes later, with a well worked team goal that resulted in George Honeyman rifling the ball home through the legs of Jamie Jones. An optimisation of how this team has moulded together and performed consistently well as a well-oiled machine throughout this EFL League One season.
The entertainment would fail to cease for the remainder, both sides enjoyed ample possession and equally probed their opposition’s defensive lines in such an attractive manner.
City however, survived a scare deep into added time, Wigan had a penalty shout though Jacob Greaves’ defence clearance was deemed good.
HT: City 2-1 Wigan Athletic
A huge Forty-five minutes until the promised land lay ahead, with the player’s unaware of Lincoln’s 3-0 lead away at London Road, nerves remained unaffected in the early stages of the second half.
Fair play to Wigan whom you wouldn’t believe were amidst a relegation scrap, soon found their footing in the second half and began as City ended the opening forty-five, playing some lovely flowing football.
The first substitution of the afternoon came in the fifty seventh minute, Ritchie Smallwood made way for Regan Slater. City very nearly made it three-one on the hour mark, another lovely passing move from The Tiger’s saw Greg Docherty fire into the side netting. Wigan, again straight down the opposite end with a great opportunity of their own moments late.
City soon found their feet and continued their calm and composed football, and were duly rewarded in the sixty seventh minute with a lovely move down the left, the sumptuous cross finding Josh Magennis whose looping header found the back of the net, making it 3-1.
City’s second substitution came straight of the back of their third goal, Josh Magennis paved the way for Gavin Whyte.
City pounced on the game with Wigan showing an apparent deflation after City’s third goal, some lovely controlled play along with large periods of possession, saw the chances come thick and fast for The Tiger’s.
Mallik Wilks and George Honeyman paved way for Dan Crowley late in the half as City continued to control the game in a professional manner that we have become accustomed to this season.
FT: City 3-0 Wigan Athletic
City extend their unbeaten run to fourteen games and on a day of significance that saw City Win Promotion away to Yeovil, seventeen years ago to the day, the next generation ‘ull City.... Are Champions of EFL League One.