Latics haunted by jubilant Jones
GRAEME Jones lavished praise on his Luton side as they bounced back from a 7-0 thrashing against Brentford to beat Wigan in injury-time.
With three minutes left, the Hatters looked to be on the end of a seventh defeat in eight games, before subs Callum McManaman and George Moncur struck to stun the Latics.
Jones, a former Wigan player and assistant manager, said: “I said pre-match, I didn’t care who we were playing today.
“I’ve got a big affinity with Wigan, but you’ve got your own professional pride to fight for and whoever was in the way, we needed to find a way. It came late and it came from two subs, but we found a way.
“The mentality has never been in question, I just think we got caught with our pants down last week.
“I feel like we fell of a cliff mentally after the game, but you can’t afford to as this league is punishing and that the definition of it. I don’t ever want to go back to that situation, but what mattered today was the result and I think we got a performance as well.”
It had looked like Wigan would pick up a first away win in the Championship this term after leading through Kieffer Moore’s 35th-minute goal.
However, a late red for Chey Dunkley saw Paul Cook’s side play the final moments with 10 men, and they couldn’t hold out.
Town should have been ahead early on, Harry Cornick teeing up Andrew Shinnie, who skied well over from close range.
The hosts bossed the opening stages, Ryan Tunnicliffe denied by a fine goal-line clearance from Dujon Sterling and then Cornick heading off target.
Wigan went close after 22 minutes when leading scorer Dunkley’s header from a deep cross flashed just wide.
Antonee Robinson tried from range, bending wide of one of James Shea’s posts, before the Latics went in front, Sterling sending over a fine cross and Moore rising magnificently to head powerfully beyond the keeper.
Moore then almost made it 2-0, diverting another Sterling cross just wide as Wigan looked to heap more misery on a Luton side looking short of confidence.
Wigan had an opportunity to extend their lead, Gavin Massey’s snapshot flashing wide, before Charlie Mulgrew fired a presentable free-kick over the bar. The introduction of Monwas cur pepped up Town’s attacking options, as did former Wigan winger McManaman, who levelled with three minutes to go, firing home at the second attempt.
Then, with Latics’ centrehalf Dunkley dismissed for a second yellow card for hauling back Cornick, Moncur kept his nerve to fire home a first goal of the season and win it for the Hatters.
Wigan boss Cook said: “It’s like watching the same film over and over again when you already know the ending.
“I’ll take the blame for everything, it’s repetitive and boring. If you don’t retain possession in the opposition’s half the reality is they will get on top and hurt you. And we continually gave the ball away.”