COOK: JOSH HAS RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Lewis on the spot again, but he won’t be on spot-kicks after a fourth miss
WIGAN manager Paul Cook insists Josh Windass will score the goals needed to keep the Latics in the Championship
The 25-year-old netted his fifth of the season to earn his side a point at relegation-threatened rivals Rotherham.
And with Will Grigg sealing a £3million move to Sunderland on transfer deadline day, Windass is tipped to show his class in the final third of the season.
Cook said: “Josh has got so many qualities to be a really top footballer. He can finish with the best of them and when he breaks those lines and runs in on goal, his finishing can be quite deadly.
“He’s missed quite a few chances at times. He missed a penalty at Millwall so without doubt he could be sitting on quite a number of goals. Then everyone would be saying, ‘Wow’. I think those goals are about to come and I think he’s in a good place.”
Windass showed great composure inside the area to fire low and hard past Marek Rodak and cancel out Clark Robertson’s headed opener for Rotherham three minutes earlier.
And Windass (above) is hoping he can continue to find the net as Wigan look to take advantage of their seven-point cushion over third-bottom Reading.
He said: “I’ve scored everywhere I’ve been and hopefully I can continue scoring.”
The point leaves the Millers one point above the drop and with just three wins in 26 league matches.
But midfielder Semi Ajayi said: “The fact that everyone has written us off is only going to make us come out stronger.”
ROTHERHAM:
Grabban Canos Wague
LEWIS GRABBAN has been abroad to get himself fit and is now ready to lead Nottingham Forest’s late bid for the playoffs.
Grabban hit his 16th goal of the season to set up Forest’s win and boss Martin O’Neil underlined his importance to the team.
“You need someone who can get 20 goals a season,” O’Neill said.
“Look at Billy Sharp at Sheffield United with 20 odd goals and what he’s doing for them.”
Grabban hadn’t played in the previous two games and O’Neill revealed why.
“After he played in my first game here as manager Grabban had to go off and get treatment.
“He’s got a bit of an Achilles problem that flares up and had a spell abroad.
“Grabban didn’t train with us all week, he didn’t arrive back until the Friday before the last game, and that’s why he hasn’t started.”
O’Neill (right) expects Grabban to lead the attack at West Brom tomorrow night as Forest look to make up the five-point gap on the top six.
But he might not be taking penalties any more. He fluffed another one against Brentford to make it four misses in his last seven.
Manager O’Neill said: “It was a good save by the Brentford goalkeeper but as far as I’m concerned it’s still a missed penalty.
“I will have to have a look at that. It’s not the best record in the world, less than a 50 per cent success rate.
“The goal Grabban did get was his first since December and I thought in general he played well.”
Grabban cost £6million from Bournemouth in the summer and was an instant hit for former boss Aitor Karanka, but then the goals dried up.
“Grabban is a proven O’Neill went on.
“He was a handful. What was goalscorer,” pleasing is that he worked exceptionally hard and other clubs would say that has been a weakness in his game.He made things happen for us and was always a threat.”
Sub Molla
Wague finally got Forest’s second from impressive Joe Lolley’s corner .
Brentford got one back late on through their substitute Sergi Canos but Forest held out.
Brentford played well and will be a handful for their former boss Dean Smith when he returns with Villa this week.
“We still speak all the time,” said Thomas Frank, who succeeded Smith at Brentford.
“He will get a good welcome from all of us at the club and I hope from the fans as well.”
MATCH STATS
MOTM JOE LOLLEY (NOTTINGHAM FOREST) REF: ATT: