Portsmouth News

‘They are the days we’ve missed the last 18 months’ – Richardson savours the moment as Wigan go top

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WIGAN have claimed top spot in the League One table after their 4-1 victory over Accrington coincided with previous pacesetter­s Sunderland dropping points.

Former Pompey defender Jack Whatmough opened the scoring for the Latics, before Will Keane doubled their advantage 10 minutes later.

Michael Nottingham gave the hosts hope before Charlie Wyke’s double made sure of the points.

Wigan boss Leam Richardson told the club website: ‘I have to say, all of the credit goes to the players – I thought the work ethic, work rate, applicatio­n from start to finish was excellent and they carried it out flawlessly.

‘Thankfully, again, we found ourselves on the right side of the result.

‘We thought this would be one of our hardest games this season and I still think that after the result today.

‘They are the days we have missed for so long over this

last 18 months, where your travelling support can come and watch, galvanise the performanc­e and when the game is in the balance drive us over the line.’

With Sunderland drawing 2-2 away to

Fleetwood ,Wigan have hit the front due to their superior goal difference.

Elsewhere, ex-Blues boss Paul Cook watched his Ipswich team record their first league victory of the season as the Tractor Boys beat Lincoln 1-0 at Sincil Bank.

Prior to Saturday’s victory, Ipswich had endured a six-game winless run in the league which raised question marks over Cook’s future at the club.

That was despite them being heavily touted to gain promotion to the Championsh­ip this season after the club recruited heavily in the summer.

Cook told the East Anglian Daily Times: ‘If a game could have taken a pattern for us, I don’t think it could have taken a better pattern.

‘To get a clean sheet and a win away from home, at a place where most people probably thought we’d get beat today, I’m delighted.

‘We conceded five goals last weekend (at home to Bolton), could have conceded seven, and we looked soft.

‘Butwedidn’tplay anything like that today, that’s for sure.’

But Imps manager Michael Appleton blasted the decision to allow the winning goal.

Macauley Bonne appeared to shove defender TJ Eyoma as he rose to head home a cross on the half-hour mark.

Appleton told Lincolnshi­re Live: ‘It takes a lot for me to get angry but when people don’t do their jobs, I’m going to get angry.

‘There wasn’t one single person in this stadium who didn’t think it was a foul.

‘It was a clear foul, it was there for everybody to see.

‘It was one of those surreal momentswhe­re you’re thinking “has that actually just happened?”.’

Charlton owner Thomas Sandgaard took to Twitter to react to the Addicks’ fifth defeat of the campaign.

Nigel Adkins’ side were beaten 2-1 by Wycombe at Adams Park and surprising­ly sit second from bottom of the league table.

Sangaard posted: ‘Today’s loss puts us in a difficult position.

‘We have to start playing better. Toward the end we gave ourselves a chance. We need more of that every minute on the pitch #cafc’

MK Dons striker Max Watters scored his first goal of the term as the Buckingham­shire side recorded a 4-1 win away to

Gillingham.

Other results: AFC Wimbledon 0-1 Plymouth Argyle, Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Rotherham United, Cheltenham Town 1-0 Oxford United, Crewe Alexandra

2-0 Burton Albion, Doncaster Rovers 1-0 Morecambe, Sheffield Wednesday

1-1 Shrewsbury Town.

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