CASH AND CARRY ON
Balogun: We can’t control the finances of the club.. we must do what we can.. fight on the pitch
BRENTFORD 3
Benrahma 19, 57, 66
WIGAN 0
LEON BALOGUN has challenged Wigan to stage a second great escape this season after the club was plunged into administration.
Paul Cook’s side had gone on a nine-match unbeaten run to pull clear of the drop zone before the shattering – and controversial – financial news last week.
It means 16th-placed Latics will be deducted 12 points if they finish outside the bottom three.
Balogun refused to blame a crushing defeat at Brentford, where Said Benrahma netted his second hat-trick of the season, on the off-field turmoil which local MP Lisa Nandy has called a “major global scandal”. And starting with their next game at home to QPR on Wednesday, the Nigeria defender called on his team-mates to concentrate on “our job” and come out fighting.
“There’s another big game coming up on Wednesday, and that’s the first game of a very big five-game block,” he said.
“The reality is, we are not in control of the finances. We are not in control of the administration.
“That is not our job – our job is on the pitch. Probably a lot of people will look at the result and blame it on the circumstances we’re in at the moment.
“But I felt ever since we received the news, the team spirit has remained really high. The reality is that we are still in a very good position as players, so we should just be focused on doing everything that is within our control and make sure that we give 100 per cent.
“We have had an unbelievable run, and I am hoping this blip is not going to break the momentum. We are as determined as a group to work our way through this.”
Balogun, who limped off after only five minutes with a groin strain, thanked Wigan fans who have raised over £100,000 to keep the club afloat.
“We’re in this together and I think that’s the most important thing,” he said.
Benrahma (celebrating his hat-trick, far left) ended Wigan’s run of 684 minutes without conceding a goal with his first strike – and added two more after the break to take his season’s tally to 14.
The Algerian, who lost his father in January, said: I would like to dedicate this hat-trick to my family. My father has died. I think he would be very happy. But c’est la vie...”
Brentford maintained the chase of second-placed West Brom before hosting Charlton tomorrow.
“There is no reason why we can’t go and get something good for Brentford and for us players,” Benrahma added. “We have a goal – we have to go and get it.”
BRENTFORD: Raya 6, Dalsgaard 7, Jansson 7, Pinnock 7, Henry 8, Marcondes 7 (Jensen 64, 5), Norgaard 8 (Zamburek 72, 7), Baptiste (DaSilva 42, 7), Mbeumo 6 (Valencia 64, 6) Watkins 7, Benrahma 8 (Fosu 74, 7)
WIGAN: Marshall 6, Byrne 4 (Mlakar 72, 5), Kipre 5, Balogun 4 (Massey 6, 5), Robinson 6, Morsy 6, Williams 5, Lowe 6 (Fox 60, 5), Dowell 5 (Evans 72, 5), Naismith 5, Moore 4 (Garner 60, 3)
MOTM SAID BENRAHMA (BRENTFORD)