Stephen Humphrys gave Latics the lead

• Wigan Athletic comfortably defeated 10-man Shrewsbury Town 2-0 at the DW Stadium.
• The visitors had former Latic Chey Dunkley red carded for a foul on Thelo Aasgaard after only four minutes and they struggled to contain the hosts throughout.
• Latics created plenty of chances and should’ve been ahead before Stephen Humphrys opened the scoring with a superb strike from 20-yards on 35 minutes.
• Latics played some lovely passing football with Martial Godo, Jordan Jones and Humphrys always a threat.
• But for all their dominance Latics only sealed the three points when substitute Callum McManaman crossed for fellow substitute Callum Lang to head home on 66 minutes.
• Latics move up to 19th place and Shrewsbury drop to 18th place in League One.

Latics’ starting line-up was unchanged from the 2-0 victory against Oxford United in midweek. Maloney adopted a 3-4-3 formation with Sean Clare, Charlie Hughes and Liam Morrison in the back three.

Latics started on the front foot and threatened almost from the kick off,  Jones fed Martial Godo down the left and his dangerous low cross somehow evaded everyone in the box.

Four minutes in and the visitors were reduced to 10-men. Former Latic Dunkley tripped Aasgaard who had been played through by Humphrys and referee Daniel Middleton had no hesitation in issuing a straight red card.

Jones fired an effort just wide from the left side of the penalty area as Latics upped the tempo.

Jason Sraha was perhaps a little lucky to stay on the pitch after a late tackle on Aasgaard on 16 minutes.

Godo then threatened on 20 minutes as he was played through on the left and then cut inside, but his low shot was well saved by goalkeeper Marko Marosi.

Just before the half hour mark Humphrys unleashed a thunderbolt from 25 yards which goalkeeper Marosi did superbly to save one handed.

But Humphrys was not to be denied and on 35 minutes he broke the deadlock with a brilliant strike. 20-yards out he did one step over before rifling the ball low past Marosi.

Salop then had a lucky escape when a Jones cross from the left rebounded off Mal Benning and came off the post.

The visitors then enjoyed some possession towards the end of the first half, but they were unable to threaten Sam Tickle’s goal before the break.

After the break Latics almost increased their lead when Adeeko tried his luck from 30-yards. The ball deflected off a Shrewsbury defender and nearly found the arriving Liam Shaw, but the ball just drifted past him and the visitors survived.

Humphrys should definitely have doubled the lead on 58 minutes when a perfect cross from Godo found him free at the back post, but he somehow headed wide from inside the six yard box.

A minute later and Jones went close as he cut inside on his right foot and curled a delightful effort which crashed against the crossbar.

On 65 minutes Maloney made a triple substitution as Lang, McManaman and Josh Magennis all came on for Liam Shaw, Humphrys and Godo.

It didn’t take long for two of the substitutes to combine for the second goal. McManaman twisted and turned down the right hand side before swinging in a perfect cross for Lang to head home his second goal in two games.

Aasgaard then tested Marosi from 25-yards before Tom Pearce’s similarly long range distance was comfortably saved. Substitute Josh Stones had the chance to add a third in added time, but his chipped effort flew over with Marosi well out of his goal.

Latics ran out comfortable 2-0 winners but it could and should have been so many more.

Overview

The sending off of Dunkley certainly gave Latics an early advantage, but they are currently in such a rich vein of form and playing such lovely football, they would probably have won comfortably anyway.

They dominated possession, controlled the tempo and created numerous chances. The only criticism was that they should have been more clinical and scored more goals.

Humphrys, Godo and Jones were a constant threat and on another day Latics would have won by four or five goals.

Baba Adeeko and Liam Shaw were once again tenacious in midfield with Clare, Hughes and Morrison strong in defence and Latics now look much more solid through the middle of the park.

After a very good start to the season Latics experienced a worrying dip in form but after three straight wins the situation is looking far brighter for Maloney’s men and if they can secure another victory on Tuesday night against Charlton Athletic they can push on towards mid-table.

League One Table

Post match comments

Speaking afterwards, Maloney said:

“We started the game really well, and then the sending-off changed the dynamic. We had to stay really patient, and it was a very professional performance. 

“We could’ve been more clinical but I have to be happy with what the group gave me today. 

“I liked the second half – we created a lot of chances and didn’t give them too many opportunities on our goal. 

“It was a reward to stick with the same team, as I thought we were excellent both on and off the ball against Oxford. 

“The biggest thing is the mentality – we’re very hard to beat at home and we have to do things with an intensity without the ball means that any team that comes here has a hard game.”

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