Michael Appleton’s Lincoln City look to gather the pace over downtrodden Wigan Athletic

Lincoln City take on struggling Wigan Athletic at the LNER Stadium on Tuesday evening looking to put an FA Cup disappointment behind them as they continue with their automatic promotion aspirations in League One.

Following an impressive start to the season, Michael Appleton’s side sits fourth in the table and are developing a reputation for a side that likes to play football on the front foot. 

Having taken on the unenviable challenge of replacing local legends, Danny and Nicky Cowley, Appleton is now seeing the fruits go his labour. Following a precarious transition period, the former Preston North End player has transformed one of the oldest squads in the division to now one of the youngest.

With captain Jorge Grant puling the strings and the emergence of on-loan Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Brennan Johnson, Appleton has found a good blend across the pitch.  With his side boasting the toughest defence in the division at this point, conceding just nine goals so far this campaign, his goalkeeper, Alex Palmer is showing why he’s one of the best goalkeepers in League One.

Centre back Lewis Montsma is also proving one to watch, making key contributions at opposite ends of the pitch, the big Dutch defender has three goals to his name already this season.

A disappointing 2-0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup at the weekend, despite dismantling Forest Green Rovers in the previous round, dampened any Imps fans hopes of another fairytale cup run which took them to the quarter-final stages in 2017. However, the manner of the defeat didn’t paint the clearest of pictures in a game where Lincoln had their lions share of possession. 

Having registered twenty shots (seven on target) during the match, a combination of some lacklustre finishing and heroics of Michael Cooper in the Argyle goal, kept the Imps at bay but manager Appleton was undeterred that his side needs to improve in the final third.

“We lost the game, but the performance levels were so good in the first 45 minutes.

“We were good in the second half but lacked a killer instinct, there were too many times where the shot was straight at the goalkeeper, we should have made him work.”

Having lost just three league games, Appleton will be quietly cautious of recording a home victory but is mindful of the threat that Wigan pose.

“We’re going to face a side that’s determined with nothing to lose because of the situation they’re in, that’s what makes them dangerous.”

Whilst Lincoln supporters having had a taste of heartache in September 2019 with the departure of their heroes Danny and Nicky Cowley, then spare a thought for Wigan Athletic fans current predicament.

Following the harrowing news that their club was to be placed into administration just weeks after the new owner, Au Yeung Wai Kay, was hopefully going to bring about better times at the Lancashire club, Wigan have fallen out of The Championship following a twelve-point deduction at the end of 2019/20 campaign.

Being forced to slash their wage bill, The Latics had also lost their talented young manager Paul Cook, his replacement John Sheridan and twenty-five members of their playing squad including starlet Joe Gelhardt (Leeds United), promising left-back Antonee Robinson (Fulham) and star striker Kiefer Moore (Cardiff). 

Whilst club existence remains the number one priority, the season promises to be a huge battle to remain in the division after a poor start. Having not won a game since early October, the 2013 FA Cup winners now languish at the bottom of League One. Without a manager, an average player age of 23 and struggling to score goals, the club are going through a torrid period in their club’s history.

Forced to fast-track players through their academy system, interim manager Leam Richardson has taken on an almost thankless task and is treading a tightrope in managing a young squad as they experience their initial taste of first-team football. The trajectory into League One action has come sooner rather than later in the majority of Wigan’s academy graduates.

“The lads have had a lot of change and a lot of disappointment and a lot to deal with – individually and collectively – and they deserved the hard-fought result on Tuesday (Bristol Rovers) which will give them that little bit of positivity and something to build on.

“Positive results will only help moving forwards and I have to stress they are learning on the job in a tough, tough league and fair credit to them because they turn up every day full of energy and full of life and a willingness to learn.

“It’s a results business but a lot of the performances have been full of hard work, honesty, endeavour and you can see certain lads are grasping that and building as characters as well.”

With a number of senior players still returning from injury, Richardson has been frustrated that he’s not been able to get a settled side out on the pitch as Wigan have not been able to put out the same side in any of their 19 fixtures of the season so far.

Despite the doom and gloom, there may be some better news on the horizon off the pitch for Latics fans. With an extension being granted to a Spanish consortium to purchase the club following an agreement with administrators, fans will be hoping that long term stability can be secured under new ownership. The extension was granted on the 20th November 2020 and the club now faces an anxious wait on a decision from the EFL. Whilst almost the entire nation will be glad to see the back of 2020, those connected with Wigan Athletic will be nearer the top of that particular queue.

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