Ten-Man Reds Left Rueing Red Card as Costelloe Opener Costs Points

Wigan Athletic 1-1 Barnsley
League One - Thursday 1st January

A New Year's Day draw away at Wigan feels like the kind of result that sums up our season so far. We fought back from an early deficit to earn a point through Phillips' second-half equaliser, only to have Connell sent off late on and spend the final minutes defending like our lives depended on it. Classic Barnsley, really – never doing things the easy way.

Early Gift Wrapping

The opening six minutes told you everything about how this one would unfold. Wigan carved us open with the kind of passing move that makes you question whether our defensive shape exists or if it's just a collective hallucination. Wright found Costelloe with space to spare, and the finish was as clinical as you like. Standing there watching it happen, our backline looked about as organised as shoppers hitting the January sales.

We dominated possession for long stretches after that setback, enjoying over 60% of the ball according to the stats, but struggled to turn that control into clear-cut chances. McGoldrick dropped deep to link play, Kelly and Jaló worked the flanks, but Wigan's three-man defence stood firm. Their goalkeeper Tickle had a relatively quiet first half despite our territorial advantage – always a worrying sign when you're chasing a game.

Finding the Equaliser

The second half brought more urgency to our play, and it finally paid dividends on 69 minutes. McGoldrick, who'd been pulling strings all afternoon, slipped Phillips through with the kind of pass that splits defences wide open. Phillips made no mistake with the finish, sliding the ball past Tickle to level things up. Proper striker's goal, that – the kind we've been crying out for all season.

The stats show we were winning the aerial battle 23-16 by this point, with de Gevigney and Shepherd beginning to assert themselves at the back. Watson was getting forward more from left-back, adding numbers in attack that stretched Wigan's defensive shape. For twenty minutes or so, you could sense we were building towards something more substantial than just a point.

Ten Men and Damage Limitation

Then came the moment that changed everything. Connell's red card on 84 minutes – his second yellow of the afternoon – left us scrambling to protect what we'd fought so hard to achieve. Credit where it's due though, the ten men showed real character in those final moments. Cooper made a couple of crucial saves, while Earl and Shepherd threw their bodies on the line like their contracts depended on it.

Wigan pushed hard for a winner with their man advantage, winning eight corners to our six over the course of the match, but we held firm. The closing stages turned into something resembling organised chaos – clearances flying everywhere, challenges flying in, and that familiar knot in your stomach that comes with defending a slender advantage.

Points Earned, Not Lost

Walking away from this one, you'd have to say it feels more like two points dropped than one gained (naturally). We controlled large periods without making it count, created enough half-chances to nick all three points, then handed Wigan the initiative at the worst possible moment. The fact we only managed three shots on target from eight attempts tells its own story about our finishing.

But here's the thing though – showing that kind of resilience with ten men suggests something positive about the character in this squad. Hourihane will be frustrated with the red card and the early defensive lapse, but he'll also know his players didn't fold when the pressure mounted. That's not nothing in League One, where mental strength often matters more than technical ability.

Same drama, different season perhaps, but at least we're picking up points rather than throwing them away completely. Small steps forward, even if they don't always feel like progress at the time.

Team Line-ups:

Wigan Athletic (3 - 4 - 2 - 1):
S. Tickle, M. Fox, W. Aimson, J. Carragher, F. Murray, T. Francois, J. Weir, R. Borges Rodrigues, C. Wright, H. Bettoni, D. Costelloe
Subs: M. Asamoah, T. Brenan, J. Hungbo, C. McManaman, C. Saydee, T. Savin, S. Sessegnon
Goals: D. Costelloe (6')
Yellow Cards: W. Aimson (85')

Barnsley (4 - 2 - 3 - 1):
M. Cooper, J. Earl, J. Shepherd, M. de Gevigney, T. Watson, L. Connell, A. Phillips, D. McGoldrick, P. Kelly, Fábio Jaló, D. Keillor-Dunn
Subs: J. Bland, R. Cleary, L. Farrell, N. Farrugia, K. Flavell, C. Vickers, V. Yoganathan
Goals: A. Phillips (69')
Yellow Cards: L. Connell (84')

Match Stats:

Statistic	Wigan Athletic	Barnsley
Possession	39.3%	60.7%
Shots	14	8
Shots on target	4	3
Goalkeeper saves	2	3
Aerial duels won	16	23
Fouls committed	7	11
Corners	8	6

Final Whistle

In the grand scheme of things, this result probably sits about right for where we are as a team. One point away from home isn't catastrophic, especially when you consider we were trailing early doors and down to ten men for the final stretch. But there's something maddening about the way we keep finding new methods to make life difficult for ourselves – dominating the ball for an hour, finally getting level, then immediately handing the opposition a numerical advantage just when we should be pushing for the winner.

The character shown in those closing minutes deserves recognition though. Cooper kept us in it when Wigan sensed blood, while the defence – led by Shepherd and de Gevigney – put bodies on the line like proper League One warriors. Phillips took his goal well too, showing the composure in front of goal that's been missing from our play at times this season. These small positives matter when you're trying to build momentum.

Looking ahead, Hourihane will know we can't keep relying on backs-to-the-wall defending to rescue points from winning positions. The red card aside, there's enough in this performance to suggest we're not far away from putting together the kind of complete display that wins matches rather than just salvaging draws. Sometimes in League One, though, showing you won't be beaten is half the battle won.