County denied FA Cup upset

Ben Davies
12 April 2012

Notts County found themselves just seven minutes away from causing a major FA Cup upset, only for Wigan to avoid severe embarrassment claiming a 2-2 draw courtesy of a rousing second-half comeback.

The financially-troubled Coca-Cola League Two club were in dreamland heading into the break on the back of goals from star striker Lee Hughes and Ben Davies.

But the Barclays Premier League outfit spared their blushes in the second half as Jason Scotland and Ben Watson hit back to force a replay at the DW Stadium.

For County, the tie was played against the backdrop of another High Court winding-up petition due to be heard on Wednesday. Despite their off-field problems, the players' minds appeared focused as they produced a rousing opening 45 minutes to savour.

Remarkably, other than one change, this was the same Notts County team that had struggled to overcome non-league strugglers Forest Green Rovers in Tuesday's home third-round tie. But cometh the hour, cometh the men, as Wigan found to their cost during a tortuous first half in which they barely roused themselves above the mundane.

Davies was the supplier for Hughes, who held off Antonio Amaya before slotting home underneath the advancing on-loan Wigan goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic for his 20th goal of the season.

After a near-miss from Neal Bishop, Wigan's embarrassment doubled in the 40th minute, sparked initially by a foul from captain-for-the-day Titus Bramble on Hughes. From 25 yards out Davies curled home a superb free-kick that crept inside the right-hand post.

But for a stunning fingertip save to deny Hughes three minutes into the second half from Stojkovic, Wigan would have been dead and buried.

It was a much-needed turning point for Wigan because five minutes later they managed to haul themselves back into the tie. Playing a one-two on the edge of the area with Rodallega, Scotland finished with aplomb by curling home his first goal for the club on his 21st appearance from 15 yards.

Wigan's second-half pressure eventually told in the 83rd minute when Watson headed home from close range after Bramble had knocked on a corner from 70th-minute sub Charles N'Zogbia.

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