MIGHTY MIKE HELPS LATICS FOLLOW UP FA CUP HEROICS
MUCH-CHANGED Wigan dug deep and showed character to grind out a win against struggling Rochdale in a battle of two sides coming off famous FA Cup clashes.
Wigan made seven alterations from Monday night’s famous FA Cup win at home to Manchester City but Michael Jacobs’ goal was enough to see off the Dale.
And Leam Richardson hopes Jacobs’ eighth goal of the season – but first since December – will inspire him to get back to the goalscoring form he showed before Christmas.
“The most positive thing is the three points,” said the assistant boss. “Certainly after Monday, with all the highs, it was always going to be a tough game.
“Compliment our lads after the week they’ve had, they’ve dug in and earned that win. These are big points at this time of year.
“There were a couple of injuries, a bit of fatigue and a bit of freshness needed and I think you saw that, while some relationships worked out there, there were others where you could tell we’d made changes.
“It was a great strike by Michael, he’s been dying to get his goal run going again and I’m sure he’ll pick up from that.”
The goal was direct football at its best – Jamie Walker flicked Christian Walton’s long ball on and Jacobs did the rest, holding off his marker and firing left-footed into the far corner on 12 minutes.
Jacobs turned provider on 28 minutes, threading through to Walker who drove inside from the left and unleashed a right-footed shot which Josh Lillis parried clear.
Rochdale almost levelled ten minutes later, against the run of play, when Callum Camps played in Ian Henderson, but the Dale captain rushed his shot and fired wide.
A minute later, it was Wigan ruing a bad miss – again from a long ball – when Walker got in behind the defence and rounded Lillis but, with the angle against him, shot over.
Keith Hill threw cup hero Steve
Davies on and changed the system on 40 minutes, and the substitute’s ambitious long-range lob on the stroke of half time had Walton backpedalling but dropped wide.
Despite the change, however, Wigan remained on top after the break and Jacobs turned Matty Done on 52 minutes and got inside onto his left foot again, but Lillis beat the shot away.
Jay Fulton then crossed for James Vaughan, unmarked in the six-yard box, on 56 minutes but his stooping header was straight at Lillis.
A minute later, at the other end, Davies delivered an inch-perfect left-wing cross for Henderson at the back post but the Dale captain’s header back across goal dropped over the bar.
Max Power nearly sealed victory on 78 minutes, from a free-kick on the edge of the box, but his right-footed effort hit the bar and bounced clear.
Jacobs’ early strike proved to be enough for the Latics, however, with Dale boss Hill ruing what he branded ‘novice defending’ for the goal.
“I’m devastated really,” he said. “It was a terrible goal. I don’t think they earned their goalscoring opportunity – it was novice defending at best.
“Two-thirds of everything we do is as good as it was last season.
“But the results dictate where we are in the league.
“The players are giving me everything, but the brain and the intelligence they have to use is not 100 per cent for 100 per cent of the time – over 90 minutes that will cost us, and it has done.
“There was nothing wrong with what we did until they scored. But for us to be attacking like we did, and then the goalkeeper kicks it and they score – that was ridiculous.”
WIGAN: (4-2-3-1): Walton 6, Daniels 7, Dunkley 7, Burn 7, James 6, Fulton 6, Power 6, Colclough 5 (Perkins 62 6), Walker 7 (Massey 62 6), Jacobs 8, Vaughan 5 (Grigg 75 6) Subs not used: Jones, Cole, Bruce, Roberts
ROCHDALE: (3-1-4-2): Lillis 7, McGahey 6, McNulty 6 (Davies 40 7), Delaney 6, Camps 5 (Knott 59 6), Wiseman 6, Rathbone 6 (Hart 54 6), Kitching 5, Done 5, Cannon 6, Henderson 5 Subs not used: Moore, Humphreys, Thompson, Inman