That felt something like the old Stoke,of the Huth's. Walters',Whelan's.Very much trying to be on the front foot,A lively start,which should have been marked with goals.No heads down when yet another mix up,this time between Butland and Edwards,giftedWigan a simple opening goal.
Instead we responded bravely with character,and,dare I say more confidently,than in the recent past.With the crowd very much onside we pressured our visitors,equalising early in the second half when Batth, in the six yard box,turned Woods' wicked free kick into the net.
Despite prompting from left wing McClean,we spent the next 40 minutes huffing and puffing but not scoring.Man of the Match McClean, with surging runs, provided at least five brilliant crosses into the goalmouth,all of them looking easy to convert, but the other forwards contrived in various ways to miss the chances created.
As the game drifted toward a draw we were not sure what to expect when Mame Biram Diouf came on as sub.A last throw of the dice,or an inspired move by our new manager?Deep into added on time we had the answer.
Inspired!Forgotten man Diouf was on hand in a goalmouth scramble to cooly place the ball into the net for the winner.His first goal since April 2018,and the trigger for a massive celebration.
So Michael O'Neill two games,two wins, six points....on goal difference not quite out of the bottom three in the table....but moving in the right direction at last.
More of the same at Cardiff on Tuesday night would be special
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