[themaclad]

Wigan Athletic 3 Keane, Humphreys, Lang Preston North End 2 Darikwa og Rodwell -Grant

Latics: Amos; Darikwa (Trialist 81), Robinson, Whatmough (Aasgaard 76), Long (Smith 86); Naylor (McHugh,86), Power (Costello 87); Trialist (Lang 55), Keane (Massey 65), Humphrys (Carragher 76); Wyke (Lloyd 87).
Subs: Jones.

Preston North End: Hudson; van den Berg, Earl, Bauer, Bayliss, Browne (Leigh 61), Harrop, Rafferty, Maguire, Sinclair, Thomas (Rodwell-Grant 73).
Subs: Ripley, O’Neill, Walker, Trialist, Seary, Nevin.

As pre season games go this was mildly entertainining for the couple of thousand who at times created a good atmosphere in the DW/JJB or whatever it is called stadium
A strongish Latics line up against what in the main will be a League Cup side for North End. We settled quicker and looked the more dangerous with Amos in teh home goal making a couple of good saves one from Thomas. Sinclair seemed to have the beating of the full back and was causing Latics problems but as ever our inability to score was to prove costly.
Against teh run of play Latics broke away and the ball ended up at the feet of Trialist on the right hand side of the box, he pulled the ball back and Keane slotted home with a first time shot which beat Hudson was a good finish. Keane's an odd one has plenty of ability but probably needs a club which will bring that out of him, could Latics be that club.
They could have had a second shortly afterwards but Hudson did well to parry a shot from Darikwa.

Wigan dominated for a spell before North End took control again,and again Amos pulled off two good saves to protect the lead.
We were level just after the break, a corner was never really clearedand Sinclair put the ball back into the danger zone and Darikwa majestically hammered the ball past his own keeper fom close range. Amos then denied Van Den Berg from a corner before Latics re gained the lead, acres of space down our right hand side, ball into the box, apparently there was a hand ball but it really wasn't well defended and Humphrys scored from close range..
The substitutions started to come a plenty and one of them Lang made it 3-1.

Bayliss foul on the edge of the box, a decent strike over the top of the wall and in, the home side dominated from then on in although two Harrop free kicks caused Amos problems.With about five to go Bayliss advanced down the pitch played a great ball into Joe Rodwell-Grant who controlled it and slotted home his first ever goal for the club. Earl probably should have done better from a corner heading wide but that was the last chance of the game and Wigan had an 100% record in friendlies.
We have a behind the doors friendly to play against an unknown club to go however hard to see many who played last night playing against Hull
It was god to see some old friends last night and get to remind yourself that the M6 at night can be a no go area add into the mix the one bridge across the River Wyre was shut last night so added 20 miles on to the journey wouldn't if they let you know before hand so you an at least make plans for it