Latics suffer back-to-back defeats despite encouraging display against Lincoln

Wigan slumped to consecutive home defeats after a narrow 2-1 loss to league leaders Lincoln on Saturday.

Having lost 5-0 to 2^nd place Hull City during the week, a visit from top of the table Lincoln had the potential to inflict further misery on the Latics. Yet Leam Richardson’s side produced a spirited display and took a deserved lead in the 33^rd minute with a Callum Lang wonder goal.

Lang drove through the Lincoln half before firing into the top corner from 30 yards out. However that lead barely lasted a minute as Wigan pressed the self-destruct button at the other end.

Goalkeeper Jamie Jones was unable to deal with a routine cross and allowed Anthony Scully to tap home his second goal in two games.

After going into the break level, the second half was an end-to-end encounter. Wigan gave as much effort if not more than their high-flying opponents.

Lots to be proud of there #wafc

— Mudhutter (@mudhutter) February 20, 2021

However Lincoln snatched the winning goal in the 73^rd minute with Tom Hopper getting the better of Curtis Tilt before firing home.

Despite falling behind Wigan still had chances to rescue a point, however Jamie Proctor, Callum Lang and Will Keane all failed to hit the mark from great positions.

The result sees Lincoln remain top whilst Wigan are second bottom, three points from safety. Wigan boss Leam Richardson was proud of his side’s display and felt they deserved more from the game.

“The result is disappointing and we’re in an elite business where results are everything and we’re totally aware of that.

“The character – especially after midweek – and the application and the way we played I felt we deserved more out of the game. If we had drawn, would we have been disappointed? Probably, but to lose is very disappointing.”

The performance against Lincoln was a sharp improvement from Wigan’s display against Hull earlier in the week. The Latics were thrashed 5-0 at home with Hull forward Mallik Wilks bagging a hat-trick as The Tigers avenged the 8-0 thrashing from their last trip to the DW Stadium.

Off the pitch Wigan’s takeover search goes on. As reported earlier last week a new owner from the Middle East is in talks with the EFL to buy the club.

Paul Stanley, managing partner of Begbies Traynor insolvency practitioners and joint administrator of the Latics, confirmed that the takeover plan has been given as ‘green a light as they can have at this stage’ by the EFL.

The money to fund the takeover has been checked by the EFL and they are currently conducting background checks on the new owners.

Also off the pitch, former chief executive Jonathan Jackson stood down as a director of Wigan Athletic. Jackson had been CEO for the last 10 years, and his father Stan, appointed a director in 1974, had been instrumental in bringing Dave Whelan to the club.

Jackson was made redundant from his post as CEO last July when the club went into administration, but still helped out in the transition period.