Deepdale Stadium was brimming with anticipation on January 9, 2026, as Preston North End hosted Wigan Athletic in a hotly contested FA Cup third-round Lancashire derby. On a chilly evening, fans from both sides poured into the historic ground, aware that the stakes were high and local bragging rights were on the line. The visitors, Wigan Athletic, a League One side, were up against a Preston squad flying high in the Championship, currently sitting fourth in the table and fresh off an impressive league win over Bristol City.
Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom, perhaps with one eye on the league campaign, made no fewer than seven changes to his starting lineup. The most notable inclusion was Lewis Gibson, returning after over two months sidelined with injury. Alongside him, Liam Lindsay, Pol Valentin, Ali McCann, Thierry Small, Mads Frokjaer, and Daniel Jebbison all came into the fold, as confirmed before kickoff. For Wigan, the narrative centered on manager Ryan Lowe’s emotional return to Deepdale, his first since departing Preston in August 2024. Lowe shuffled his pack with three changes, handing starts to teenager Harrison Bettoni, Matt Smith, and Joseph Hungbo.
The opening exchanges were lively, with both teams probing for an early advantage. Wigan signaled their intent almost immediately, as Callum Wright guided a cross from Hungbo just wide of the far post in the very first minute. Not to be outdone, Preston’s attacking verve shone through in spells, but the final ball was often lacking. Dara Costelloe, teed up by Bettoni, spurned a glorious opportunity, sending his effort wide after breaking through the Preston defense.
As the first half wore on, the match settled into a tactical battle. Fouls became more frequent, disrupting the flow and ratcheting up the tension. Both managers were animated on the touchline, urging their players to seize the initiative. The home crowd, sensing the importance of every challenge, roared their team forward, but the first 45 minutes ended goalless. Preston had the better of possession, but Wigan’s organization and discipline kept clear chances at a premium.
After the break, the game’s tempo quickened. Substitutions came thick and fast as both sides sought fresh impetus. Wigan’s Maleace Asamoah replaced the injured Bettoni in the second half, adding pace and directness up front. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 75th minute, and it was the teenager Bettoni who provided the moment of magic before limping off. Cutting in from the right, Bettoni unleashed a left-footed strike that took a wicked deflection off Andrew Hughes, wrong-footing Preston keeper Daniel Iversen and nestling into the back of the net. The Wigan faithful erupted in celebration, their underdog side now in the ascendancy.
Preston, stung by the setback, threw caution to the wind. Heckingbottom introduced attacking reinforcements, including Milutin Osmajic, Michael Smith, and Alfie Devine, in a desperate bid to claw back the deficit. The hosts pressed relentlessly, with Osmajic firing narrowly wide and Devine forcing a sharp save from Wigan’s Sam Tickle. The tension inside Deepdale was palpable as the clock ticked down.
Drama reached fever pitch in the 86th minute when Wigan were awarded a penalty. Pol Valentin, under pressure from Asamoah’s darting run, fouled the substitute inside the box. Callum Wright stepped up with a chance to seal the win, but his right-footed effort sailed over the bar, much to the relief of the Preston supporters. It was a let-off, but Wigan’s resolve did not waver.
The closing stages were not for the faint-hearted. In stoppage time, Preston’s Brad Potts thought he had salvaged an equalizer, turning in the rebound after Tickle’s superb save from Devine’s header. The celebrations were cut short, however, as the flag was raised for offside. The Latics clung on, with Tickle’s late heroics ensuring their slender lead remained intact.
Reflecting on the match, Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom was candid in his assessment. According to BBC Radio Lancashire, he admitted, “From the first minute, we weren’t playing how we want to play. I’m not talking about loose passes, a lack of energy or anything like that. I’m on about the things we constantly work on that I think give us an edge and we didn’t do it. Everything to do with organisation really, things we pride ourselves on, we weren’t as good as we normally are and it makes the game harder for yourself.” He added, “It’s just a frustrating performance. You get them, but you don’t want to have them. We all feel the same because they’ve been few and far between.”
For Wigan’s Ryan Lowe, the return to Deepdale was especially sweet. He told BBC Radio Manchester, “I’m pleased for our fans and pleased for the lads. The game plan worked a treat. I did enjoy it of course, coming back to your old club, performing to the levels that we did and limiting them to very few chances, if any. We had three big chances and should score more goals, [we had] the penalty obviously and a couple of chances in the first half against a fantastic team who are flying high in the Championship.” Lowe continued, “We want to win every game as much as we can. We’re probably not going to win the FA Cup but it’s nice, with our supporters behind us in a local derby, to go through to the fourth round so I’m really pleased.”
The win marks a significant moment for Wigan, who had previously needed penalty shootouts to overcome Hemel Hempstead Town and Barrow in earlier rounds. This time, Bettoni’s decisive goal spared them the lottery of spot-kicks. The Latics, FA Cup winners in 2013, now find themselves dreaming of another deep run in the competition, buoyed by the resilience and tactical nous displayed against a team 35 places above them in the league pyramid.
For Preston, the defeat stings, especially with the knowledge that they had been FA Cup quarter-finalists just last season. Despite the disappointment, the team will look to regroup and refocus on their Championship ambitions, with Heckingbottom’s words likely to resonate in the dressing room.
As the dust settles on a dramatic evening at Deepdale, Wigan’s victory stands as a testament to the magic of the FA Cup—a competition where underdogs can still have their day. With the fourth round beckoning, the Latics and their supporters will savor this hard-fought triumph, while Preston must turn their attention back to league business, determined to bounce back from a rare home setback.
