Loan Watch: Haris Wins Battle Of The Magpies

By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Haris Vuckic's Wigan Athletic got the better of Adam Armstrong and Gael Bigirimana's Coventry City on Saturday, as the Latics earned a 1-0 League One win at the DW Stadium.

Slovenian midfielder Vuckic was sent on in place of Will Grigg for the closing minutes as Wigan - who are managed by former Magpies defender Gary Caldwell - extended their lead at the top of the table to four points with their fifth win in succession.

Armstrong played the full 90 minutes for the Sky Blues, but was unable to add to his tally of 19 league goals so far this season while Bigirimana also started the game, but made way for former England man Joe Cole nine minutes into the second half.

French duo Florian Thauvin and Remy Cabella both started for Marseille in their 0-0 draw at home to Bordeaux on Sunday in Ligue 1.

Cabella finished the match at the Stade Velodrome, but neither player was able to force a winner and Thauvin was replaced by Georges-Kevin N'Koudou just after the hour mark.

Barnsley and their on-loan forward Ivan Toney were unable to follow up their Wembley success last week with a win at home to Chesterfield on Saturday.

Toney appeared as a 63rd-minute substitute for Ashley Fletcher as the Tykes were beaten 2-1 at Oakwell by the 10-man Spireites.

Also in League One, Liam Smith's Blackpool slipped back into the relegation zone after a 1-0 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Colchester United.

Midfielder Smith was introduced in place of Brad Potts with 13 minutes remaining but was unable to help the Tangerines find a leveller at Bloomfield Road.

Young pair Macaulay Gillesphey and Alex Gilliead featured for Carlisle United as they lost ground in the race to make the League Two play-offs with a 2-1 home loss to Mansfield Town.

Gillesphey - man of the match in their victory over Hartlepool in midweek - played the full 90 minutes, as did Gilliead, but they were powerless to prevent Reggie Lambe snatching all three points for the Stags.

At the foot of the table, York City conceded a late equaliser to Wycombe Wanderers as the two sides drew 1-1 at Bootham Crescent.

Defender Kyle Cameron was replaced shortly after Matt Bloomfield's 88th-minute leveller for the Chairboys, while fellow United defender Lubo Satka - also on loan at York - wasn't included in Jackie McNamara's squad.

Sammy Ameobi wasn't part of the Cardiff City side that lost 2-1 at Fulham in the Championship on Saturday, while young goalkeeper Brendan Pearson - who had been on loan at National League side Gateshead - has seen his season halted prematurely by a foot injury.

OUT ON LOAN

Remy Cabella - Marseille (season-long loan)

Florian Thauvin - Marseille (loan until end of season)

Sammy Ameobi - Cardiff City (season-long loan)

Haris Vuckic - Wigan Athletic (season-long loan)

Alex Gilliead - Carlisle United (loan until end of season)

Macaulay Gillesphey - Carlisle United (loan until end of season)

Adam Armstrong - Coventry City (loan until end of season)

Gael Bigirimana - Coventry (loan until end of season)

Kyle Cameron - York City (loan until end of season)

Lubomir Satka - York City (loan until end of season)

Brendan Pearson - Gateshead (loan until end of season)

Liam Smith - Blackpool (loan until end of season)

Ivan Toney - Barnsley (loan until end of season)