FIVE-STAR LATICS THUMP THE TROTTERS
WIGAN ATHLETIC produced a five-star performance to hammer local rivals Bolton Wanderers and give themselves some breathing space at the bottom of the Championship.
The home side had been feeling the pressure after a wretched run saw them slip to fourth-bottom, out of the drop zone only on goal difference.
But from the moment Joe Garner opened the scoring with only four minutes gone, there was only one winner of an entertaining derby clash.
Wigan boss Paul Cook was delighted at a first win in eight matches that sees his side move up two places on the ladder.
“It was just what the doctor ordered, without a shadow of a doubt,” he said.
“The early goal from Crackers (Jacobs) helped calm the nerves, and we rode our luck once or twice.
“But we created more than enough chances to win a game of football.
“I’m delighted for the players on the back of a really tough week.
“The pressure was mounting on everybody, which is just football.
“But I’m just so pleased for the players, it’s a great win.”
Cook also found time to offer support to his counterpart at Bolton.
“I must pat Phil Parkinson and his staff on the back.
“It’s so difficult football, at times, going through what they’ve been going through.
“While it’s a great night for us, a little bit of feeling has to go to Phil and his staff.
“Hopefully that situation gets sorted out for the benefit of Bolton Wanderers.”
Bolton boss Parkinson was struggling to find any positives from the defeat that pushes them one step further towards the relegation trap door.
But Parkinson felt, as badly as they played, they could easily have got at Wigan more and ensured a far nervier climax.
“That’s the frustrating thing because, as soon as we got a goal back, we felt we could go on and get something,” he said.
“We always felt we could create chances against Wigan, but unfortunately conceded too soon after our goals.
“The nature of the third goal (from Powell) in particular summed up our afternoon, and the way it’s been going.
“It’s ridiculous... it happened earlier this week in the Carlisle-Notts County game.
“I’ve said to Remy it’s a basic thing as a goalkeeper, you look around you. It’s a poor error.”
Wigan started like a house on fire, and opened the scoring when Reece James picked out Garner with a free-kick, and the striker headed home from close range after four minutes.
Wigan doubled their lead six minutes into the second period with Nick Powell supplying Gavin Massey, who found the net via the inside of a post.
An awful mistake in Bolton’s ranks gifted Powell Wigan’s third goal four minutes later.
Bolton pulled one back in the 62nd minute through Gary O’Neil, and the visitors sensed a way back into it.
However, Jacobs hit a cracking long-range strike to restore the three-goal advantage.
Wanderers did score a second with 10 minutes to go through Sammy Ameobi’s far-post finish. But substitute Leon Clarke headed home from Nathan Byrne’s teasing cross inside a minute, and the game was safe.