Yanic Wildschut could be staying with Latics

Wigan were unable to maintain their winning away form and were held at 1-1 at Scunthorpe United, but they remain in fifth spot in League One.

The Iron took the lead when Luke Williams finished from close range following a low cross from Scott Laird on 20 minutes.

But Latics soon responded and Michael Jacobs equalised on 34 minutes with a superb drive from the edge of the area.

Latics went close on several occasions and Scunthorpe’s David Mirfin cleared off the line but Scunthorpe forced some good saves from Jussi Jaaskelainen and a draw was just about the right result.

Gary Caldwell made two changes from Monday’s win at Fleetwood, with Yanic Wildschut and Chris McCann replacing Reece James and Donald Love.

The Iron opened strongly with Kevin Van Veen getting two strikes on goal before Andy Kellett threatened the home defence and Yanic Wildschut had a shot saved by Luke Daniels.

Despite Latics enjoying plenty of possession in the opening period it was Scunthorpe who took the lead on 20 minutes through Luke Williams.

Scott Laird’s low cross was met by an unmarked Luke Williams and the striker had an easy finish from close range.

Latics responded quickly with Wildschut breaking free and crossing for Will Grigg but the danger was cleared. Max Power tried his luck from distance and then Wildschut cut in from the left but his shot went wide of the target.

But Latics were level on 34 minutes when Max Power produced a superb pass from his own half into the path of Michael Jacobs.

The former Wolves man chested the ball down and struck his shot from the edge of the area and the ball curved away from the keeper and into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

The teams went into the interval evenly matched, but Latics started the second half in the ascendancy.

David Perkins had an appeal for a penalty when his shot hit the arm of David Mirfin, then Wildschut forced his way into the box and struck a shot just wide of Daniels’ far post. Grigg then cut inside and fired an effort over the crossbar.

Latics went close again when Jacobs drove down the left hand side and crossed low into the box, but Andy Kellett was unable to make the contact which would surely have resulted in a goal.

Jordy Hiwula replaced Kellett after 71 minutes and the young striker had a chance to score in the 77th minute but Mirfin diverted his goalbound header off the line.

Wildschut then went on a typical run from inside his own half but his final shot went wide of the target.

Latics created another opportunity in the 85th minute when Jacobs went on a great jinking run and crossed for Jason Pearce, but the big defender was unable make a good enough contact to convert the chance.

Scunthorpe however, might have stolen the points in the dying minutes when Jaaskelainen was forced into an excellent double save from Scunthorpe skipper Stephen Dawson.

A draw was a fair result and Scunthorpe had certainly been more formidable opponents than in their 3-0 drubbing at the DW Stadium earlier in the season.

Fans’ favourite Yanic Wildschut’s loan period has now come to an end but the supporters are hoping that he will be returning to Latics in the very near future.

Gary Caldwell has informed the media that Latics have made a transfer bid for the ‘Flying Dutchman’, and the winger has expressed his desire to leave Middlesbrough and to sign for the club permanently.