Wigan Athletic 1 Barnsley 4: Reds sink champions to keep promotion dream alive

He was right, though perhaps not in the way Wigan Athletic’s biggest crowd of the season had envisaged. Sure, the Latics were duly crowned champions and received the trophy before embarking on a lap of honour.

But it was the 4,700 visitors from Barnsley who were truly in party mode at the final whistle, beaming from ear to ear in the May sunshine after a quite remarkable afternoon.

After falling behind to the League One champions, Paul Heckingbottom’s men produced a stunning fightback to clinch the final play-off place.

Two goals from Sam Winnall plus a strike apiece from Conor Hourihane and Josh Brownhill ensured Scunthorpe United were held at bay despite their own 2-0 triumph at Sheffield United.

It was, in many ways, Barnsley’s season in microcosm as the Reds started slowly yesterday, lost their way for a time only to then storm back in fine style.

The last time Barnsley had met Wigan, a 2-0 defeat at Oakwell had ensured a Christmas spent sitting in the relegation zone.

A long, hard fight against the drop seemed in store but, instead, the Reds have turned things around not only to book a play-off place, but also lift the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

“What a day,” said Josh Brownhill, the scorer of the fourth and final goal yesterday.

“The lads are buzzing. We have a lot of work to do with two big games against Walsall, but if we play like we did at Wigan then we can go and do a job.”

As the overjoyed travelling hordes headed home to Yorkshire, chants of ‘It’s just like watching Brazil’ and ‘Que sera sera’ filled the air.

It was quite a contrast to the opening exchanges of the contest, when a nervous-looking visiting side allowed the Latics to seize the initiative.

Heckingbottom’s men were sloppy in possession, never more so than when Winnall passed straight to a blue shirt in what proved to be the build-up to the opening goal, Will Grigg gleefully smashing in the rebound after Alfie Mawson had looked to handle Yanic Wildschut’s cross.

Further chances followed for Jason Pearce and Chris McCann, leaving Barnsley badly in need of inspiration. It came via a passage of play just after the half-hour that began with Winnall being denied by a brave save from Lee Nicholls.

Despite the Reds’ top scorer staying down, play continued and Barnsley were mightily glad it did as, moments later, Stephen Warnock dived recklessly in on Ashley Fletcher and referee Tony Harrington pointed to the spot.

Winnall duly sent Nicholls the wrong way from 12 yards and his 22nd goal of the season followed shortly before half-time.

Lloyd Isgrove created the opening with a darting run and shot that Nicholls was only able to parry, leaving Winnall with the simple task of prodding into the net.

Taking the lead was timely, Scunthorpe having just gone ahead themselves at Bramall Lane to supplant Heckingbottom’s men in the top six.

Buoyed to be back in the play-off spots, the Reds were composed and free of nerves after the restart.

Mawson did have to bravely throw himself in front of Ryan Colclough’s goalbound shot but, in truth, the visitors were in control well before Hourihane doubled the lead on 56 minutes.

There was an element of fortune initially, a divot catching Nicholls unawares when an Isgrove cross bounced up off the turf and on to his shoulder as the goalkeeper crouched down to collect.

Fletcher was the first to respond, claiming possession and then finding Hourihane who did the rest with a drilled finish.

Barnsley’s travelling hordes were in dreamland by now but their team saved the best for last.

A foul on Isgrove handed Brownhill a free-kick that he then thundered in from 25 yards.

“I didn’t realise it was that far out,” was the midfielder’s response when watching his strike back on television in Wigan’s press room after the final whistle.

After that, it was merely a case of playing out time, but the afternoon still ended on a sour note courtesy of a red card for Chris McCann following an ugly challenge on Hammill.

Moments later, the final whistle blew and the promised party was soon in full swing on all four sides of the DW.

For Wigan, this meant the presentation of a trophy that their form across nine months had warranted. Barnsley, of course, still have work to do if they are to join the Latics in the Championship next season.

But the confidence engendered by such a resounding win can only stand them in good stead for the challenges that lay ahead.

Wigan Athletic: Nicholls; Daniels (Wabara 46), Pearce, Morgan, Warnock; McCann, Perkins, Power; Jacobs (Vuckic 69), Grigg, Wildschut (Colclough 46). Unused substitutes: Jaaskelainen, Morsy, McAleny, Barnett.

Barnsley: Davies; Scowen, Roberts, Mawson, Williams; Isgrove (McCourt 79), Hourihane, Brownhill, Hammill; Fletcher (Chapman 79), Winnall (Toney 84). Unused substitutes: White, Townsend, Nyatanga, Tuton.

Referee: T Harrington (Cleveland).