Hat trick hero Peter Houghton

What a fantastic comeback at Chesterfield. Latics looked down and out at the Proact Stadium after 68 minutes when Leon Barnett put through his own goal to make it 2-0 to the Spireites. But Barnett soon redeemed himself with an excellent volley and Craig Davies’ penalty and Jordy Hiwula’s last-minute winner produced an amazing smash and grab victory.

Latics had shown great fighting spirit to score three goals and turn the game around in the space of only nine minutes. But Gary Caldwell should also be congratulated for his tactical changes and substitutions. The three substitutes Chris McCann, Jordy Hiwula and Andy Kellett made a difference and had a crucial role to play in all three goals.

During their eight seasons in the Premier League Latics had some memorable comebacks. Back in April 2010 they came back from 2-0 to win 3-2 to shock Arsenal. In the process they ended the Gunners title bid and practically secured their own top-flight status for another season.

Three goals in 10 minutes turned the game in Wigan’s favour late on, with future FA Cup hero Ben Watson scoring the first. A clanger from Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski allowed Titus Bramble to head Wigan level and then, in injury time Charles N’Zogbia’s strike won it. It was a stunning end to a game that Arsenal had looked odds on to win.

It was real Roy of the Rovers stuff at the end of the 2010/11 season as Latics had to win their final two games of the season to survive. It was all going wrong when they were 2-0 down at half time to relegation rivals West Ham in their penultimate game.

The roller coaster encounter saw Latics come back and win 3-2 in the 94th minute with a modern-day Roy Race that was Charles N’Zogbia getting the last gasp winner.

But probably the greatest ever turnaround was against our next opponents Port Vale on a Good Friday in 1979. 3-0 down at home to the Valiants with just 20 minutes to go, many disgruntled Latics fans decided to leave early, some angrily throwing their season tickets into the players’ tunnel.

But Latics stormed back to win 5-3. Centre forward Peter Houghton scoring a sensational hat trick in the space of just ten glorious minutes before Derek Brownbill and Micky Moore completed the amazing comeback.

This article was first published in the 12th Man column for the Wigan Evening Post on Friday 11th September 2015.