Stoke rocked by infighting as Grigg fires double for Wigan
The familiar Wigan chant of “Will Grigg’s on fire” echoed around the Bet365 Stadium from the away end, but the mood among Stoke fans is already inflamed.
This was a nightmarish evening for manager Gary Rowett against a club two divisions below Stoke last season and the stench of relegation from the Premier League is overpowering.
Wigan thoroughly deserved their second victory since promotion with two goals from the outstanding Grigg, who has now scored 48 goals for his club since Stoke’s Saido Berahino last found the net in February 2016.
Ashley Williams was sent off late on for Stoke and Rowett, who was booked for dissent, also endured chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” after taking Berahino off. Rowett also admitted there had been a bust-up at half-time between Jack Butland, captain Ryan Shawcross and James Mcclean.
He said: “Reputations mean nothing. I’ve got to start picking the team on which players deserve to be in, not which players have played in the Premier League for 10 years. It was weak and pathetic and if you do that you’re going to lose games of football.
“When you’re not winning games everybody gets a bit edgy and frustrated. We’ve got to take collective responsibility, it’s no good fighting between ourselves.”
Stoke’s hangover since relegation has been difficult to shift and this was their most chastening experience so far. They made an impressive start with Tom Ince driving two shots over the crossbar. But Wigan took the lead in the 27th minute against the run of play when Grigg converted Gavin Massey’s cross past Butland from eight yards.
Last season’s League One champions, Wigan were effective on the counter-attack and Paul Cook, their manager, is one of the most highly regarded outside the top flight. Cook was raising his arms aloft again in the 32nd minute when Massey capitalised on a mistake from Williams to drive into the area and shoot under Butland. The game was put beyond Stoke 12 minutes into the second half after another moment of madness. Antonee Robinson sent in a low cross and Nick Powell was about to apply the finishing touch from close range when he was brought down by Joe Allen. Grigg put away the penalty.
In times of Stoke crisis, enter Peter Crouch. The 37-year-old came on from the bench for Berahino, drawing anger from the home fans. Stoke’s excruciating evening was complete 12 minutes from the end after Williams was dismissed after a second booking, for a foul on substitute Josh Windass.
Cook said: “It was a complete team performance and we’ll get a lot of plaudits for that. We’ll just keep doing our best, work hard and see where it takes us.”
Stoke (4-2-3-1) Butland; Edwards, Shawcross, Williams, Pieters; Fletcher (Etebo 72), Allen; Ince (Bojan 45), Berahino (Crouch 64), Mcclean; Afobe. Subs Federici (g), Adam, Martina, Souttar.
Booked Mcclean, Allen, Williams, Crouch. Sent off Williams (78).
Wigan (4-2-3-1): Walton; James, Dunkley, Kipre, Robinson; Evans, Morsy; Massey, Powell (Mcmanaman 81), Jacobs (Windass 76); Grigg (Connolly 65). Subs Jones (g), Byrne, Vaughan, Bruce.
Booked James, Powell.
Referee John Brooks (Leicestershire).