Harambee Stars winger features as Exeter are downed by Wigan

STARS ABROAD Harambee Stars winger features as Exeter are downed by Wigan

Mark Kinyanjui 08:26 - 22.10.2023

The 23-year-old, who received his maiden call up to the Harambee Stars squad for the Russia friendly, featured but could not help Exeter avoid defeat against Wigan.

Vincent Harper featured for 84 minutes as a right winger but was unable to make a difference as Exeter City were beaten 2-0 by Wigan in a League One clash on Saturday afternoon.

The Kenyan left-footed player started as an inverted right winger, and despite featuring for 84 minutes, looked isolated as he only touched the ball 36 times and made 11 out of 12 successful passes.

He did attempt five tackles, but never took a man on in what was a rather ordinary display individually.

Wigan ended a run of four-successive defeats in League One with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Exeter.

It is now five-straight defeats for Exeter, who made a slow start to the game and paid the price for that as the Latics opened the scoring after eight minutes.

Pierce Sweeney came out second best in an aerial duel and the ball fell kindly for Stephen Humphreys, who advanced down the left and picked out Martial Godo. He side-footed the ball past Vili Sinisalo and into the net from 10 yards.

The home side regrouped and had plenty of possession, but they rarely looked like scoring.

Wigan were happy to sit in and soak up the pressure and look to hit Exeter on the counter-attack and rarely looked like scoring themselves.

The hosts had more urgency after the break and the closest they came to an equaliser was in stoppage time when substitute Yanic Wildschut struck the base of the post from a narrow angle.

In another match, Clarke Oduor remained an unused substitute as Bradford City drew 1-1 with Wrexham in a League 2 clash.

Wigan then wrapped things up right at the death when Jordan Jones advanced from deep and beat two men before his shot unfortunately deflected off Will Aimson and squeezed in at the near post.

The sides remained locked after a fierce first half that saw five bookings dished out, including one for Paul Mullin after just two minutes.

Bradford went close when Jamie Walker's deflected shot was turned round the post by Dragons keeper Arthur Okonkwo.

Mullin pounced with a sharp header from Ryan Barnett's cross to take the lead, but substitute Wilson equalised with a shot in off the underside of the crossbar.

The goal was winger Wilson's first for the Bantams.

The fourth-tier match was played out in front of a bumper 21,552 spectators, including 2,624 travelling Wrexham fans.