Wigan Athletic suffer late defeat against promotion chasing Stevenage

Stevenage 1 - 0 Wigan Athletic

Stevenage struck a dramatic winner deep into stoppage time to beat Wigan and seal their place in the League One play-offs.

Author | Amy W

Stadium | Stevenage FC Stadium

Wigan had looked to round off their 2025-26 campaign on a positive note as they faced play-off chasing Stevenage, in a match that brought the curtain down on a long and demanding season marked by both crazy highs and awful lows.

It always promised to be a fiercely contested encounter, with Stevenage aware that victory would secure their place in the play-offs. Backed by a sold-out home crowd, Alex Revell’s side carried momentum into the occasion, leaving Wigan with the difficult task of spoiling the mood and influencing the make-up of the top six.

A closer look at the late drama

As the match moved into added time, Boro sat seventh, trailing Plymouth in the standings and facing the prospect of missing out on those League One play-offs.

In the opening minute of stoppage time, a corner was only half-cleared and the ball dropped at the far post, sparking a chaotic scramble as it ricocheted between bodies. No one was entirely certain who applied the decisive touch, with Dan Sweeney appearing the likeliest, but the assistant referee signalled that the ball had crossed the line and Broadhall Way erupted.

With seven additional minutes played. Phoenix Patterson and Jamie Reid both tested Wigan goalkeeper Sam Tickle, who produced smart saves to keep his side in contention.

Wigan pushed forward one last time, sending Tickle up for a late corner, but a foul halted their momentum and confirmed Stevenage’s place in the play-offs.

Watch | Highlights of the match from the Wigan Athletic YouTube account

Until that late surge, it had been a tense and finely balanced contest. Harrison Bettoni struck the crossbar for Wigan after 81 minutes, while Tickle had earlier produced an excellent stop to keep out a Charlie Goode header.

The match had all the ingredients for a frantic finale, and Stevenage delivered it in emphatic fashion.

A positive end to the season despite this defeat?

One Wigan fan told us: "In the months since Gary Caldwell’s return in February, there has been a noticeable lift in belief, unity and togetherness. There is now some optimism about what lies ahead at the Brick Community Stadium under Caldwell. Onwards and upwards for the club now."