Wigan Athletic's desperate search for alternative fixture is in vain

Wigan Athletic exhausted all possibilities of rearranging another League One fixture at the last minute before eventually admitting defeat in their attempts for some festive action.
Leam RichardsonLeam Richardson
Leam Richardson

Frustratingly, Saturday's visit of Accrington Stanley became the third clash in less than a week to fall foul of Covid.

Stanley - like Fleetwood in midweek - contacted the EFL to request a postponement due to a number of positive cases.

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Latics themselves had called off the Boxing Day trip to Crewe for the same reason.

The situation leaves Latics in a huge pickle regarding their schedule in the second half of the campaign.

Leam Richardson's men were already two matches behind some of their third-tier rivals.

Having to fit three more games into the programme - while remaining in the FA Cup and the Papa John's Trophy - will be a logistical nightmare, especially with international games returning in March.

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As a result, Latics desperately tried to bring forward one of their upcoming fixtures against another side who'd seen their game on New Year's Day called off by their opponents.

But they were unable to persuade any of the possibles to take the game at short notice, and the plan had to be shelved.

Latics aren't now scheduled to play again in the league until January 15, with next Tuesday's Papa John's Trophy tie at Oldham being followed by the FA Cup third-round visit of Blackburn on Saturday week.