³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Crewe Alexandra shrugged off a Covid-19 outbreak among their squad and returned to action with a thumping win over Wigan Athletic.

Dave Artell's side had their game at Oxford cancelled last Saturday and reported two more positive coronavirus tests this week, as did their opponents, who were given a harsh lesson by Crewe's powerful attacking show.

Youngster Luke Offord scored his first senior goal and Harry Pickering put the Railwaymen firmly in the driving seat by the interval, with Mikael Mandron adding a third in the second half.

Crewe keeper Dave Richards needed to take evasive action to prevent an embarrassing early own goal from Charlie Kirk, tipping over the attacker's attempted clearance under pressure from Gavin Massey.

At the other end Jamie Jones produced a smart double save, pushing out Perry Ng's snapshot then smothering the follow-up from Donervon Daniels.

James performed more heroics saving at point-blank range from Daniel Powell. Yet the Latics' keeper was well beaten when Callum Ainley flung the ball over from the left and Offord glanced a header into the corner after 27 minutes.

Crewe carved out chances at will and Mandron should have done better when he headed straight at Jones.

But Pickering produced a fine finish five minutes before half-time, receiving the ball from Kirk on the overlap and driving the ball into the far corner.

Wigan debutant Will Keane blazed wide as the half closed, As did Mandron after the restart.

But the big striker was able to side-foot an easy finish after keeper Jones made another double save to deny Ainley and then Powell in the 59th minute.

Massey nearly found the bottom corner when drilling a low effort and while Wigan improved after the break, with Oliver Crankshaw having an effort disallowed for offside, they were still well beaten.

Match report supplied by PA Media