Wanderers’ derby woe continued as Wigan recorded a third straight League One win at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on another painful afternoon, writes Pete Oliver.
The Whites have been on an impressive run in a bid to repair the damage of a slow start to the campaign and move towards the top six.
But regardless of current form, a visit from the Latics again brought the worst out of Ian Evatt’s men who again failed to score as part of that on-going sequence against their neighbours to suffer a first home defeat since mid-September.
A dismal first half set the tone and even though Wanderers had chances in an improved showing after the break to re-write recent history none were taken to leave Evatt’s side again needing to finding a response to defeat in a high-profile game to get their campaign quickly back on track.
Wanderers made three changes to their last league starting line-up with Jordi Osei-Tutu one of those to get a start with a full league debut.
A late goal against Mansfield had brought one of the seven wins the Whites had enjoyed in their last nine home games in all competitions. But rather than pick up where they left off then – and from their mid-week Vertu Trophy win over Huddersfield – Wanderers made a poor start too reflective of this fixture in recent seasons.
The visitors, who belied their recent poor form with a front-foot performance, had chances to go in front before they did the take the lead in the 18th minute.
Wanderers were too easily opened up as Thelo Aasgaard spun away in midfield and then fed Dale Taylor who given the space to work the ball onto his left foot and steer a low shot past Nathan Baxter.
Taylor then headed wide when he should have made it 2-0 from Silko Thomas’ lovely cross, while Wanderers looked bereft of belief in getting anything going themselves.
John McAtee did his best to light a spark and picked out Szabi Schön for Wanderers’ only shooting chance of a desperately disappointing first half which didn’t trouble Latics’ keeper Sam Tickle.
And it could have been worse before half-time but for an excellent double save from Baxter to deny Aasgaard and the follow-up from Baba Adeeko.
There had to be an improvement and Wanderers at least started the second half on the front foot with a McAtee cross reaching Osei-Tutu to work Tickle with an angled drive.
And with some momentum building, Osei-Tutu then got to the by-line and delivered a cross Szabi Schön should have converted from the edge of the six-yard box.
That could well have kick-started a comeback, although Wigan weren’t without more openings of their own in a wide-open contest as Toby Sibbick failed to turn the ball in following a corner and Baxter made another block from Aasgaard.
But Wanderers were now taking the fight to the visitors and another McAtee cross picked George Thomason for a header he directed straight at Tickle and with half an hour to go Evatt made a double change to send on Aaron Collins and Randell Williams.
The next goal had to come Wanderers’ way but mid-way through the second half it was Wigan who struck again to put themselves in clear water as another ball into the Whites’ penalty area found a black shirt and this time it was Aasgaard who swivelled to fire into the bottom corner.
With time now firmly against them Wanderers went close to throwing themselves a lifeline through Klaidi Lolos, a McAtee free-kick – which whistled just wide – and a Collins’ chance in particular.
But the Whites’ finishing remained off-key to mirror another dismal day in the derby which will demand a response at league leaders Wycombe Wanderers next Friday night when defenders Ricardo Almeida Santos and George Johnston will both be missing after collecting their fifth bookings of the campaign.
Wanderers: Baxter; Jones, Almeida Santos, Johnston; Matete (Lolos 69); Osei-Tutu (Dacres-Cogley 76), McAtee, Thomason, Schön (Williams 61); Charles, Adeboyejo (Collins 61). Substitutes: Southwood, Forrester, Sharples-Ahmed.
Booked: Johnston, Almeida Santos, Thomason, Taylor
Wigan: Tickle; Sibbick, Kerr, Aimson, Sessegnon (McManaman 62); Adeeko, M Smith (S Smith 76); J Smith (Olakigbe 62), Aasgaard, Thomas (Weir 82); Taylor Hugill 82). Substitutes: Watson, Carragher.
Booked: M Smith, Sessegnon, McManaman
Referee: Adam Herczeg
Attendance: 24,448 (3,074)