Harbinger Of Glory

Both teams began making their way onto the pitch as the noise around St James’ Park rose to another level.

The Newcastle players emerged to a wall of sound from the home support, while Wigan, emerging at the same time, were met by a much smaller but enthusiastic crowd in the away end.

This was league football again.

The players took their places in front of the stands and across the pitch, the Newcastle supporters had already started singing, their voices rolling around the stadium before either side had even touched the ball.

”Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back,” the main commentator began on the broadcast.

”It feels like we’ve been waiting forever for this, doesn’t it? A few weeks without club football, international matches taking centre stage, and now finally, the Premier League is back.”

”It certainly does,” his co-commentator replied. ”And if it isn’t the World Cup, there’s really nothing quite like club football.”

”That’s exactly right.”

The commentator allowed himself a brief laugh before turning his attention back toward the pitch.

”And what a game we have for the return. The league leaders, Wigan Athletic, are here at St James’ Park to face Newcastle United, who currently sit sixth and are looking to strengthen their position in the Champions League places.”

”It is a fascinating fixture,” the co-commentator continued.

”Both of these clubs have experienced something of a resurgence in recent years. Newcastle have established themselves as a side that expects to be competing for Champions League football, and Wigan... well, their story is something else entirely.”

”Absolutely.”

”A few years ago, Wigan were staring at the possibility of dropping into League Two. Now they’re walking into St James’ Park as the leaders of the Premier League. Talk about a dream.”

”And that tells you something about football,” the main commentator said.

”Not just that but life also. Things can change very quickly. You can be in one place today and somewhere completely different tomorrow.

So perhaps the lesson we can gain from these two sides is simple: don’t give up. You never really know what’s waiting for you around the corner.”

Down the pitch, the singing came to an end, before being quickly followed by applause as the match pleasantries began.

”And both sides have named very strong line-ups today,” the commentator said.

”There aren’t many surprises, and both managers clearly understand the importance of this one.”

”I’d agree with that, although Wigan haven’t quite gone with their strongest eleven.”

”No?”

”Well, Calderon is still on the bench.”

The main commentator glanced down at his notes and then nodded.

”Ah, yes. You’re right.”

At the mention of his name, the broadcast camera found Leo on the Wigan bench for a brief moment.

He sat in his tracksuit, watching the players on the pitch while occasionally speaking with one of the staff members beside him.

”I imagine the travelling supporters were hoping to see their talisman from the beginning,” the commentator continued.

”But Dawson has decided to manage his return carefully. Calderon has only just come back from that ankle problem, and it looks as though the Wigan manager isn’t willing to throw him straight back into ninety minutes.”

”Hopefully, the fans get to see him at some point.”

Down the pitch, the referee and his assistants were already moving into position, checking that both sets of players were settled.

A few Newcastle players exchanged final words with one another while Wigan’s players gathered briefly before separating.

The referee looked toward both sides, and then he checked his watch as the final checks of the game were made on the sides.

”And after what feels like an eternity, we are finally ready.”

After the commentary came through, the referee brought his whistle to his mouth and let the shrill sound reverberate across the pitch.

Will Keane immediately moved the ball into Jake, and Wigan settled into the shape Dawson had chosen for the afternoon.

It was an unfamiliar one.

A 4-4-2, which saw Jake and Keane operate together up front, while the midfield four stayed relatively compact behind them.

The moment the match began, Newcastle didn’t need an invitation.

They stepped forward aggressively from the opening seconds, pressing the Wigan players whenever the ball moved toward the touchlines and trying to make the visitors uncomfortable.

Their first meaningful attack came down the right where a quick exchange released the Newcastle winger into space behind McClean, but Wigan recovered quickly.

The cross came into the area, only for Whatmough to rise above the Newcastle forwards and head it away, but the home crowd applauded the effort.

Wigan, after this, didn’t rush.

They recycled the ball through the back line and eventually worked it into Reyes while Newcastle immediately closed around him.

Reyes took one touch, shielded the ball and played it back rather than forcing the turn, something that had transpired a few times across the match.

”That’s something Wigan have become very good at,” the commentator noted. ”They don’t have to play forward every time they receive the ball.”

”They don’t,” his co-commentator agreed. ”And that’s particularly important today. Newcastle want this to become a physical game. Wigan don’t need to accept those terms.”

And true to the words of the commentators, the away side didn’t.

The visitors began moving the ball from side to side, refusing to give Newcastle the loose possession they wanted.

When Newcastle stepped forward, Wigan played around them, and when they dropped, Wigan patiently worked the ball into the midfield.

It wasn’t spectacular, but it was effective, until around the fifteenth minute, Wigan nearly found a way through.

Keane dropped deeper and brought Reyes into play before turning and immediately running beyond the Newcastle midfield.

Reyes spotted the movement and slipped the ball into his path.

Keane reached the edge of the box and tried to cut it back, but a Newcastle defender stretched out a leg and diverted it behind, bringing applause from the away fans.

The corner came to nothing, but Wigan had made their point.

Newcastle responded with a spell of pressure of their own.

They began putting more bodies around the Wigan penalty area, forcing the visitors deeper than they had been moments earlier.

A low cross eventually found its way toward the near post, but Amos dropped quickly and got both hands behind the ball before holding it firmly against his chest.

The Newcastle fans who had already risen to their feet let out a groan before they sat back down.

”Ben Amos again,” the commentator said. ”Very assured.”

”He’s going to need to be today. Newcastle aren’t going to stop throwing all they have at him.”

For several minutes after that, both sides kept playing their way, hoping that an out would happen for them.

Then, just before the half-hour mark, one finally did.

Reyes received the ball in midfield and immediately played it into James McClean.

The Wigan veteran took a touch and then turned right as a Newcastle midfielder stepped toward him, but he moved the ball around him and continued forward.

Reyes kept up with him, with the two using a set of passes to bypass the Newcastle set-up before McClean received it again near the left side of the penalty area.

He drove toward the byline, with a defender trailing behind him, but McClean pushed the ball another yard ahead and reached it before it could run out of play.

Then he looked up and found Reyes arriving.

The Newcastle players saw it, but by the time they could react, Reyes had already met the cutback from McClean, and they could only watch as he drove the ball low and hard past the reach of Nick Pope.

The ball slammed into the back of the net, and immediately the Wigan fans rose with it.

”GOAL FOR WIGAN!” the commentator’s voice rose above the noise.

”AND THEY’VE DONE IT! WIGAN ATHLETIC HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD AT ST JAMES’ PARK!”

Reyes turned toward the corner, fists clenched, before McClean caught up with him and jumped onto his back.

”What a move that was,” the co-commentator said as the rest of the Wigan players followed.

”That’s what Wigan are capable of when they get their rhythm.”

”Newcastle were trying to turn this into a physical contest, but Wigan have just played straight through them.”

The away end continued singing as the Wigan players eventually made their way back toward the halfway line and soon enough the restart came.

The home side came forward with even more urgency.

They wanted an answer, and they nearly found one immediately.

A long ball was sent toward the right side of the Wigan box, and the Newcastle forward managed to get there ahead of the defender.

He brought it down and struck across goal, but Amos once again did enough.

He threw himself to his left and pushed the ball wide as the Newcastle supporters behind him groaned again.

”Brilliant save! That’s an excellent stop from Amos,” the co-commentator said. ”He read that very early.”

Newcastle kept coming as another attack followed, this time through the middle.

Their midfielder found space just outside the box and tried to curl one toward the far corner, but the shot missed by inches.

The home supporters applauded the effort, trying to lift their side again.

After that, Wigan survived the pressure and eventually worked the ball back up the pitch.

And as the minutes ticked toward half-time, the home side continued searching for the equaliser, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

And eventually, the referee’s whistle sounded right at the 45th minute mark.