Up next for Rovers is another match which few would have predicted would be on the fixture list as we make the trip to the DW Stadium.
Paul Dickov’s side will face last season’s FA Cup winners and former Premier League side, Wigan Athletic.
Owen Coyle’s men have had a good start to the season but after Rovers bagged their first three point haul of the season over another sizeable scalp in Blackburn Rovers last Friday, the travelling squad will be confident of picking up another Championship victory.
The last time the sides met in Lancashire it was Rovers who were to take victory in the LDV Vans trophy against their Football League opponents. Much was expected of Wigan who were flying high atop the second division following a convincing win over Blackpool just three days earlier but Rovers were making waves of their own sitting in third position in the Conference.
Wigan put out a strong side as they looked to continue their rich vein of form but they didn’t account for Dave Penney’s side who were keen to show that league placings meant little in cup football.
The side from Belle Vue were ruffling feathers from the off and frustrating the home side who had Neil Roberts name in the referee’s notebook midway through the first half after he tussled with Paul Barnes. While Wigan had the lion’s share of possession, and were looking the more likely to score, they just couldn’t breakthrough a resolute visiting defence and the sides went into the break all square.
In the second half though it was to be Rovers who grew in statue and were to net the only goal of the game through Mark Albrighton who met an expertly placed Gareth Owen free kick and he flicked it beyond ex England ‘keeper Dave Beasant with just over twenty minutes remaining in the game.
Rovers continued to defend in valiant fashion and restricted the home side to firing at goal from range and it was from one of the speculative efforts that the Latics were to get close to netting but Nathan Ellington’s shot crashed off the crossbar.
It was to be the home side’s first defeat in 17 games and it represented quite a scalp for Rovers in a season which culminated in the famous play off victory and the return to the Football League.