FA Cup R3 Replay Report Wigan Athletic vs Luton Town

Wigan Athletic defeats Luton Town in the third round of the FA Cup.

By defeating Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium in the 97th minute, the Hatters secured a home fourth-round matchup against Grimsby.

Five minutes into the second half, just after Thelo Aasgaard had given the Latics the lead, Cauley Woodrow had brought Town even. When extra time was about to begin, Adebayo scored with a volley for his fifth goal of the year and second in as many games to seal the victory.

Reece Burke and Gabe Osho started in defence against the Latics, just as they did at Kenilworth Road ten days prior. Manager Rob Edwards made four changes from Saturday's league loss to West Brom.

While Cauley Woodrow started in a more forward position alongside Elijah Adebayo, who scored his first goal since October at the weekend, Louie Watson started in midfield with Allan Campbell and Jordan Clark, who was wearing the captain's armband for the first time. Due to a minor calf injury sustained against West Brom, leading scorer Carlton Morris was unable to play.

Within the first two minutes of play, Woodrow found space for himself to make the game's first shot on goal. He beat his defender on the outside of the box before trying to chip the ball, but it was deflected over for a corner, which the home team successfully cleared.

The former Barnsley player contributed to the following opportunity on minute 11 by heading Watson's deep cross into the six-yard box for Adebayo, whose header was straight at Ben Amos in the Wigan goal. Minutes later, after good work by Bree on the right, Burke's excellent outswinging centre was headed over the crossbar.

Bree was the next to try his luck as the Hatters continued to dominate the first 20 minutes, but his curling 25-yard free-kick failed to drop down far enough to worry Amos.

After Town could only clear a corner as far as the outside of the box in minute 26, Thelo Aasgaard fired a low shot through a mass of defenders but wide of Horvath's right post.

The Hatters' assaults were led by Woodrow, whose tempting low cross from the right edge of the penalty area almost missed Campbell and Adebayo as it whizzed over the six-yard box.

As Wigan rushed after a long throw, Burke was quick to react at the opposite end and produced a well-timed block. As halftime drew near, Adebayo's attempted clearing header rebounded off a Wigan head and into the danger zone.

Aasgaard volleyed a long throw from the right side to the outside of the box and Horvath had no chance of stopping it as the hosts took the lead less than a minute into the second half.

Within four minutes, Town had equalised thanks to a combination of Bree and Burke on the right that let free Campbell. Woodrow slammed a cross toward the goal, but goalkeeper Amos parried it back to Campbell.

Amos was beaten by the Town forward's second attempt, which was cleared by a defender, but Hawk-Eye determined that the ball had over the line.

On the 63rd minute, Wigan made a double substitution, swapping Callum Lang and Ashley Fletcher for Will Keane and Josh Magennis. At the same time, Edwards made his first substitution, replacing Campbell with Harry Cornick.

On minute 67, Doughty launched a 25-yard effort but was tripped by Tom Naylor in the process, needing treatment with a corner as the only benefit for the Hatters from the deflection of the Wigan midfielder. Later, Naylor was brought down in the Town box by Doughty, but referee Matthew Donohue denied the hosts' requests for a penalty. 

After Woodrow skillfully passed Cornick through into the Wigan area with a header in the 73rd minute, Adebayo had his header blocked. With Amos out of position, Wigan substitute James McClean quickly raced back to clear the ball off the line.

With ten minutes remaining, Adebayo attempted a turn-and-shot as Wigan struggled to clear a deep cross from Bree. Amos easily made the save, and Woodrow then had a shot blocked behind for a corner in the 85th minute after good work in the box by Cornick. Finally, with one minute remaining in regulation, Doughty's attempted curler from the right was cleared.

Burke was the first Hatter to be cautioned for a late tackle on McClean, and Adebayo made a good reaction save on Jack Whatmough's header from a Republic of Ireland corner.

At the start of the last seven seconds of regular time, Horvath blocked another Aasgaard shot. Then, Edwards substituted Tom Lockyer for Bree to finish the game.

Adebayo scored a spectacular winner with a low finish beyond Amos after all seven additional minutes had been used, his second in as many games.

Goals:

WA-Aasgaard 46

LT: Woodrow 50; Adebayo 90 plus 7.

Att: 5,668 (191 Hatters) (191 Hatters)