By @LaticsOfficial

Latics U21s fight to rescue a late point against Burnley U21s

  • U21 Report | Burnley FC 1 Latics 1
  • Latics U21s fight to rescue a late point against Burnley 
  • Chris Sze was the hero for Latics at the Leyland County Ground

BURNLEY FC 1

Westley 28' 

LATICS 1

Sze 88'

Wigan Athletic U21s showed great fighting spirit to rescue a point against Burnley U21s on Tuesday afternoon.

Despite Latics making a strong start to the Professional Development League encounter, Joe Westley made the breakthrough at the Leyland County Ground just before the half-hour mark with a clinical finish from point-blank range.  However, Latics rallied together and got the result that their impressive performance deserved in the 88th minute when Chris Sze netted a brilliant late leveller. 

Latics made five changes from their 5-1 victory over Peterborough United in December 2023, with Jason Kerr coming into the starting line-up to continue his road to recovery, along with a trialist, Jack Reilly, Luke Brennan, and Sze. 

Looking to record their second successive victory in the Professional Development League, Latics started on the front foot and played with a real air of confidence. Dangerous in transition through the pace of the Reilly down the right flank, the returning full back combined brilliantly with captain Ethan Mitchell during the infancy of the encounter, who saw his drilled cross cut out at the near post.

Chris Sze, who was gaining invaluable match fitness ahead of Latics’ busy fixture run-in, drifted into a wide left position and curled a dipping effort just over the crossbar. 

Moments later, Latics’ high press prevented Burnley from building from the back, and allowed Sze to pick the defender’s pocket inside the area. With just the goalkeeper left to beat, Sze’s effort beat Charlie Casper but fell on the wrong side of the post.

However, Burnley went into the interval leading after Westley found the corner from close range following some good wing play from Lewis Richardson.

The onus was on Latics to respond in the right way, and Sze again looked to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Taking matters firmly into his own hands, Sze danced past several Burnley defenders and fired a fierce strike just over the crossbar. 

At the other end, Westley looked to turn a dangerous right-sided free-kick into the back of the net, but Tom Watson did brilliantly to keep it out. 

Harrison Bettoni was introduced for Latics with just over 20 minutes remaining, and the first-year scholar nearly marked his U21s debut with a goal, heading just over from a Brennan ball in from the left.

In true Wigan Athletic fashion, the young Tics didn’t give up and kept fighting until the end. They got their just reward two minutes from time, with Sze rescuing a greatly deserved point for Latics with a close-range finish.

It almost got even better for Latics at the death, as Sze almost netted a dramatic late winner, rattling the crossbar with a strike from the right of the penalty area.