Ryan Colclough grabbed a brace

Latics were not at their best but they still had a comfortable 3-0 victory against League One strugglers Doncaster Rovers at the DW Stadium.

Michael Jacobs opened the scoring with a strike from the edge of the box after 40 minutes. Rovers had a golden opportunity to equalise through John Marquis but he fluffed the opportunity before Ryan Colclough increased Latics’ lead just before the interval.

Colclough added a third goal with a diving header in the second half and they had plenty of opportunities to add to their tally against a mediocre Rovers but it surprisingly remained at only three.

Manager Paul Cook freshened up his starting line up from the defeat to Bradford City with Reece James, Lee Evans, Will Grigg and Ryan Colclough coming in.

Latics made a brisk start with Jacobs breaking down the left and forcing a good save from Ian Lawlor.

Rovers’ first opportunity came from James Coppinger, but Jamie Jones pushed the ball away for a corner.

Evans then tried his luck from distance but Lawlor saved easily.

Latics were having plenty of possession but they were not as slick in their passing as they have been in early season.

But they eventually got the breakthrough on 40 minutes when Jacobs drove forward and unleashed a drive from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

Rovers should immediately have equalised when Marquis was presented with an open goal following a knock down but he failed to make any proper contact with his volley and Jones saved easily.

Latics then doubled their lead just before the interval when Colclough cut in from the  left and smashed the ball past Lawlor from the edge of the box.

Latics had not been at their best but they had a two goal cushion at the interval.

Colclough increased Latics’ lead on 57 minutes when he converted Jacobs’ cross with a diving header.

Colclough was surprisingly substituted on 60 minutes and he sprinted off down the tunnel with a smile on his face – he obviously had a prior engagement – what turned out to be the birth of his second child.

Marquis then wasted another golden opportunity to reduce the arrears for Rovers, this time firing well wide from just six yards out.

But Latics were now well on top and Grigg had a couple of good opportunities to get on the score sheet but it’s not quite working out for the striker at the moment. But surely as he gains more match fitness the goals will start to flow again.

Substitute Gavin Massey’s deflected strike might have added a fourth, but Latics will be relieved to have got back to winning ways and increased the pressure on leaders Shrewsbury who surprisingly lost at bottom club Bury.