Oxford United 2, Wigan 1: Saydee heroics are ultimately in vain for Latics

Wigan suffered more away-day woe with defeat at the Kassam against Oxford United – and were reduced to 10 men, writes Robert Dunford.

A wonder strike from Christian Saydee was overshadowed by strikes from Michal Helik and Kai Andrews.

Worse for the visitors, Fraser Murray was dismissed for a poor challenge on Jack Currie.

After victory at home to Reading, Gary Caldwell made two changes – Morgan Fox replacing the suspended James Carragher, while Reggie Walsh made way for Fraser Murray.

Their hosts, five unbeaten before taking the field at the Kassam, made three changes from their match against Mansfield.

Jack Currie, Tyler Goodrham and Mo Missanga coming in for Peter Kioso, Louie Sibley and Luka Lynch.

Oxford gave an early sign of how difficult they would be for Wigan after just three minutes, when a Siriki Dembele pass split the back line, and with Mark Harris rushing in Joe Whitworth did well to block his effort.

Dembele was already proving to be a challenge for Wigan, with his pace, although a 14th minute effort went well over the bar.Having weathered the Oxford storm, the visitors were able to put just a little show of cohesion together, with Charlie Gray, Connor Barrett and Bradley Burrows linking up well on 21 minutes.

The pace of the home side was still causing problems. Gray had to bring down the onrushing Dembele just outside the area on 32 minutes, earning a booking, and captain Cameron Brannigan just failed to keep the resulting free kick down.

It was inevitable that Oxford would punish the visitors, and a minute later Helik did exactly that, when his initial shot in the area was parried away by Whitworth, only for the defender to have a second attempt that found its way goalward.

In truth, it was no more than Oxford – and Wigan – deserved. There was no sign of an immediate Latics response after the break, as Oxford looked for an early second – Currie blasting over and Dembele putting his effort just wide after less than three minutes after the restart.

Needing a change in fortune, Caldwell made two substitutions just six minutes after the restart – Saydee and Reggie Walsh coming on for Barrett and Gray respectively.

Wigan almost got a gift on 61 minutes when goalie Jamie Cumming passed straight to Fraser Murray, but his attempt at goal was disappointingly inaccurate.

.It needed a special moment, and it appeared through Saydee on 68 minutes. After taking the ball just in the Oxford half, he kept hold of it, before curling a superb effort from outside the area past Cumming at the near post.

As the game looked to have swung in the favour of Wigan, they were reduced to 10 men on 72 minutes – a lunge by Murray on Jack Currie was enough for referee Emily Heaslip to show red.

And it proved to be awful for the visitors as they went behind again on 76 minutes, with Kai Andrews slotting home.

There was to be no further comeback for Wigan this time, remaining at the bottom and with still just one away point all campaign.