Richard Ricardo's Medical Research Match Report - Latics 2 Hull 1

Wigan Athletic 2-1 Hull City

Match report in the name of medical research.

Does watching Wigan affect your blood pressure?

Wigan only does it the ‘Wigan Way’.

In pursuit of medical research, I decided to take my blood pressure monitor to the match and take my BP and heart rate at significant moments.

The ethics committee of ES7 passed my research hypothesis that “Watching Wigan is NOT a health hazard”.

Under close supervision of the good doctor next to me I started the research. Normal BP 120/65 and a heart rate of 58. I met my good friend Nick, whom I first met on the aft deck watching the sunset below the Humber Bridge on the fantastic Latics to Amsterdam Prostate cancer fund raiser to Amsterdam. Not having seen each other for a while we were to have a pre-match pint.

He suggested the Drs Symposium along with 3 others. We discovered that pubs in Wigan close on Tuesdays; three pubs later we were in the Anvil and there was nothing wrong with that. It’s just the Wigan Way.

19.34; 10 minutes before KO: BP 191/105; HR 111.

Eager anticipation. After the slight hiccough at Brentwood the teams were lined up in the rain performing the pointless pre-match meaningless handshake.

19.43 Pre kick off: 142/102 HR 104.

I’m a Believer!! Time to relax; soak in the ambiance. Enjoy.

19.46 KO 162/105 HR 92

We’re off; feeling good but pressure rising slightly for no good reason than the usual style of football. Annttoonnee Robinson surges down the wing at stunning speed simply to pass it to a Hull defender in an attempt to put a cross in. At least he had the pace to try to make amends for his first of three wayward efforts.

He tracks back fast. It’s passed to Dicko who has a great shot, but it is saved by Walton: 19.51 139/104 HR 99.

OMG, Morsy picks up the ball in mid field weaves like an Egyptian carpet maker around midfielders and defenders and fires a rocket shot. In it goes: 20.05 253/149 HR153 – Pressure is rising.

My resident doctor seems unconcerned. Kath says I may die. The family of twin sisters simply laugh. I feel ok. Later the Dr admits he didn’t want to alarm me but wondered if I may have spontaneously exploded. Just look at this, just after that stunning goal recovery seems rapid. Kath is slightly less concerned.

20.08 173/102 HR 90.

Reece James picks up a loose ball in the right defensive half, moves forward and lays it off to Evans.

20.11 173/105 HR 70. Oh soddit, just starting to relax but all the time feeling ok, and Evans puts in a pin point accurate cross and Josh does a stunning Robin Van Persie dive to score at 20.23 184/104 HR 124.

This is great. Wigan are looking safe and solid. Nick Powell is playing a blinder laying the ball off in a myriad of stunning ways to whoever is nearby; off his chest, off his back, back heels and occasionally his head. Yes, you heard that right – his head.. Amazing. Added to that Wigan have missed several good chances.

Oh soddit it again; some sloppy defending where Robinson decided to make the game a bit more exciting and another miss-pass. Pressure rises – Hull score. 20.44 167/106 HR 82.

20.48 167/97 HR 74 half time.

Look at this; heart rate down, diastole is reducing which is a relief as the teacher next to me tells me “it’s the bottom number you need to worry about”. I’m reassured. I’ve stopped worrying about the BP but continue to worry about WAFC. I go to chat with George, Barry, the lad that nearly biffed me at Wembley, George and the whole family of twin sisters.

21.03 139/90 HR 74 – 2nd half starts.

At 21.13 Wigan get a corner and look what happens 178/106 HR 87. To add salt to the injury it was a rubbish corner that nearly landed on my lap in ES7, and we can’t even blame Hurricane Ali. She hadn’t arrived. Morsy traps the ball spectacularly in his belly, hides 2 hand balls from everyone that matters and decides he’s going to make amends for his early shower in Brentwood.

At 21.22 he tries another distant shot which goes high and wide and pressure to start climbing again. 143/98 HR 88.

Nick Powell knows better than anyone how to draw a foul in the attacking half. Over he goes again as Ben Kingsley does a forward somersault over him. Free kick for once from a ref who ignored most of his enforced tumbles. The free kick leads to a corner and predictable pressure goes up at 21.22 BP is 183/104 HR 80.

Gibson comes on, Naismith takes the ball through four Hull players but not before Walton had made some fine saves. Hull were threatening and wanted a win more than we did, Hull are one step earlier to most balls. Naismith’s efforts lead to another corner. Dunks has a great effort with his head. Hull’s keeper Marshall is putting in some great saves. Pressure is steady, but pulse is going up.

21.40 180/105 HR 103.

Jacobs has a stunning shot saved. And just look at that. The evidence is conclusive at 21.50 pressure and pulse are dropping. The final whistle is blown and look what happens. 147/92 HR 90.

Back at the Brocket I watch 2 minutes of highlights and have a half, at 22.38 BP is 135/82 with a HR of 58. Wednesday at 10.45 at home BP seems to be back at my normal steady state at 145/76 HR 50. Just imagine what happens to my ticker when I am excited!!

How have I ever survived four wins against Manchester City?!

CONCLUSION: Wigan won. Man of the Match: Powell and James. Goals of the season. Both of them. Evidence, on a representative sample suggest that watching Wigan can be bad for your cardiac health.

Richard Ricardo