Latics turn attentions towards transfers
WIGAN boss Gary Caldwell is anticipating a busy transfer deadline day despite watching Michael Jacobs net the winner against battling Crewe.
The Latics manager saw his side maintain an unbeaten start to the season but is still looking to strengthen as he plots an immediate return to the Championship.
Crewe manager Steve Davis is still searching for a first win of the season, however, but felt his side were good value for a point after claiming referee David Coote should have blown for a foul as Jacobs pounced.
Caldwell said: “The game was open but I was confident our strike force would come out on top.We should have scored more than one goal and we did have opportunities to kill the game off.
“When you don’t do that you are always under pressure but we dug in and saw it out.
“We are having a great start at home but we need to start winning away now and put a run of results together.
“I’m very hopeful of making a signing that will definitely improve us. I think we will be busy over the remaining days of the transfer window.”
Will Grigg saw an early chance saved by Crewe keeper Ben Garratt when he met a Reece James cross. Ollie Turton then fared likewise when Richard O’Donnell parried his 18-yard strike at the other end.
But Jacobs gave the Latics the lead when he rose at the far post to plant a header into the net from Max Power’s 12th-minute corner.
Crewe almost levelled when Bradden Inman’s effort came back off the post soon after.
However, Jacobs nearly snatched a second when he ghosted past two players before being denied by Garratt.
O’Donnell was alert too, tipping over Steven Kingsley’s goal-bound strike eight minutes before the break. Garratt then saved from Grigg at point blank range early in the second half.
Ryan Colclough’s wayward shot on 82 minutes epitomised the lack of creativity on show as Wigan withstood persistent pressure from the Railwaymen to secure the points. A frustrated Davis said: “I spoke to the referee after the game, I told him my players were claiming there was a push on George Ray for the goal. I trust my players’ word on that, they don’t normally say something when it’s not happened.
“It’s unfortunate that’s been the difference between the two sides. Hopefully the referee will look at it and learn from it.
“For large chunks of the game we’ve dominated against a team that’s fancied to go up.
“I’m really pleased from that point of view but you don’t always win games by playing well and that was the case.”