Wigan move back to top, dropping Dale into trouble
ROCHDALE WIGAN 1 4 WIGAN Athletic seized the initiative in the League One promotion race, a clinical dismantling of relegationthreatened Rochdale taking them top of the table.
With Blackburn Rovers held to a draw at Gillingham, Dan Burn’s firsthalf header laid the platform for the Latics to scale the summit on goal difference.
Three goals in nine second-half minutes from James Vaughan, making his 300th league appearance, Michael Jacobs and Will Grigg sealed the deal at Spotland.
Steven Davies struck a late consolation from the spot but Wigan’s away record, the best in the third tier, never looked under threat.
“It was a tight game until the second half, so we’re very pleased to come away with the result,” said Wigan first-team coach Anthony Barry.
“We’ve responded to every setback this season – it’s personality and character, forget ability. We’ve got a great spirit.
“Blackburn, Shrewsbury and ourselves have performed to an extreme level this season, someone’s going to miss out on promotion with a record points total.”
Burn’s fifth goal of the season sent the Latics surging ahead on 14 minutes, the centre-back nodding in after Chey Dunkley flicked on a corner.
Nick Powell, who spent four ill-fated seasons at United having been plucked from Crewe’s academy, then struck the post in search of a second.
Rochdale returned the favour a minute later, Joe Rafferty rising highest at a corner only to watch his near-post header skim the top of the crossbar.
The hosts carved out a couple of firsthalf openings, Calvin Andrew’s header dropping just past the post and Callum Camps dragging a low shot wide.
But the visitors went into half-time in the ascendancy as Nathan Byrne strode forward and forced Josh Lillis to tip over his fine strike from range.
Ten minutes after the interval Wigan doubled their lead when Vaughan was played through by Grigg and stroked the ball home from just inside the box.
Jacobs made it three with a sublime finish on the hour mark, leaving Rafferty behind with a mazy dribble before curling into the top corner.
Within moments Cook’s side added a fourth, Gavin Massey firing a shot in from the left and Grigg tapping in Josh Lillis’ weak parry for a sixth goal in four. Davies, hero in the FA Cup draw with Tottenham, stepped up to convert an 87th-minute penalty after Dunkley felled Calvin Andrew. But Dale occupy an increasingly perilous position, two points from safety having played a game more than 20th-placed rivals Oldham Athletic, who are home to Walsall tonight.
“Wigan are better than us, they have the best players, the best manager and spent the most money,” said manager Keith Hill, whose side have won one of their last 10 at home.
“We suppressed them and had chances, but again a lack of discipline from my players cost us.”
Meanwhile, Bolton’s relegation fight in the Championship was hit as they lost 2-0 at home to Millwall last night.