SHREWS TAME LATICS AT LAST
SHREWSBURY sit proudly at the top of League One courtesy of a first home win over Wigan since 1991 on a landmark day.
The victory, which was sealed with a first-half strike from Stefan Payne, proved the perfect way to celebrate the Shrews’ 3,000th league match.
Referee Mark Heywood confirmed Wigan substitute Ryan Colclough had been red-carded after the game for ‘foul and abusive language’ to cap a miserable afternoon for the Latics.
Shrewsbury manager Paul Hurst was delighted with his team’s performance but is not getting carried away.
“It’s nice for the fans to see us top of the league but I am more interested in what happens on the pitch,” he said.
“It was a great result for us. Wigan have real quality and I don’t think we will play a better team in the league this season.
“We didn’t start well. We were slow and lacking in energy but we showed hard work, grit and determination to get back in the game.
“We took our chance and held on to the lead courtesy of some fine defensive work.
“We had our moments and a second goal would have been nice but I can’t be too critical.
“It was a fantastic game to watch. Not enough goals to make it a classic but I’ll take a one-nil win any day.”
Wigan edged the first-half but failed to make the most of their chances.
A mistake by James Bolton let in Nick Powell but the former Manchester United player was thwarted by on-loan keeper Dean Henderson, who is currently on the books at Old Trafford.
A fine run by Michael Jacobs, which began deep inside his own half, ended with the former Wolves man firing into the sidenetting as Wigan upped the ante.
At the other end, Shaun Whalley’s vicious curling shot produced a superb fingertip save from league debutant keeper Jamie Jones.
The home side, however, would not be denied and took the lead on 26 minutes.
Whalley’s cross from the right was met by Payne, who found the roof of the net.
Wigan went in search of an equaliser in the second-half but fine approach work lacked a quality finish.
Ivan Toney came close to equalising, his diving header from Nathan Byrne’s cross hitting the post, but that was as close as Wigan came.
Latics chief Paul Cook thought his troops fell well below their usual standards at Montgomery Waters Meadow.
“We’re massively disappointed,” he said.
“For all our possession, we didn’t put Shrewsbury under enough pressure.
“Our big players didn’t perform.
“We lacked a clinical finish in the first-half but we have to pick ourselves up and react in a positive way
to a negative result.”