• FA Cup winner Callum McManaman’s superb 82nd minute strike helped Wigan Athletic to a hard- fought 2-1 victory against Peterborough United at the DW Stadium.
• Latics had gone ahead after only seven minutes when Martial Godo nipped in front of goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic to poke home.
• Jordan Jones crashed a stunning effort against the crossbar for Latics but Posh grew into the game and enjoyed plenty of possession. 
• Early in the second half the visitors drew level when Kwame Poku fired low under Sam Tickle from inside the box.
• Peterborough continued to press forward but Latics defence was resolute, and from substitute Tom Pearce’s corner fellow subsititute McManaman produced an unstoppable drive to secure the three points.
• Latics move up to 17th place in the table and Peterborough remain in fourth place.

Shaun Maloney made three enforced changes to his starting line-up with Omar Rekik, Liam Shaw, and Callum Lang coming in for Sean Clare (injured), Baba Adeeko (suspended) and Thelo Aasgaard (injured).

It was a cagey start by both teams, but on seven minutes Martial Godo got in front of keeper Bilokapic to poke the ball home from Jones inviting cross.

Lang had a great chance to increase Latics’ lead on 23 minutes after good work in midfield by Stephen Humphrys, but the striker fired just wide of the target from 20 yards out.

At the other end full back Harrison Burroughs dangerous strike was well saved  by Tickle on 24 minutes.

Humphrys then tried his luck from distance on 28 minutes but his effort was comfortably saved by Bilokapic.   

As the game developed Peterborough enjoyed more possession but Latics were always dangerous on the counter-attack.

The hosts might’ve added to their lead when they twice went close on 33 minutes. Jones cut inside before striking a swerving and dipping effort which crashed against the crossbar before Godo’s curling follow up shot was narrowly wide of the far post.

Mason Clarke’s effort from distance was then well saved by Tickle on 40 minutes at the other end.

Just before half time Humphrys surged forward and was brought down on the edge of the box, but from the resulting free-kick Lang curled an effort just over the crossbar.

1-0 to Latics at half time.

Peterborough started the better at the beginning of the second half and but for some last ditch defending they would have been level.  

David Ajiboye had a right footed shot from the centre of the box blocked before Jadel Katongo’s shot from outside the box blazed wide of the target.

But on 54 minutes the visitors did draw level when Poku fired low under Tickle from Ajiboye’s cut back.

The game looked to be moving in Peterborough’s favour, but on 56 minutes Maloney made some important substitutions to turn the tide. Tom Pearce and Chris Sze replaced Jones and Humphrys.

Godo then produced a brilliant attacking dribble on the hour mark before he was blatantly obstructed on the edge of the box, but referee Ollie Yates waved away Latics appeals.

Peterborough nearly contributed to their own downfall on 67 minutes when a back pass surprised Bilokapic but the keeper recovered at the last moment.

It looked like Latics had regained the lead on 72 minutes when Charlie Hughes produced a brilliant strike, but his effort smashed against the near post.

Forwards Josh Stones and McManaman replaced Godo and Lang on 73 minutes as Maloney looked to up the energy levels.

Ten minutes later McManaman produced a magical strike to give Latics the advantage. Pearce’s corner came to the FA Cup winner on the edge of the box and he unleashed an unstoppable drive into the Peterborough net.

The visitors responded and they forced Latics back into defence. Substitute striker Jonson Clarke-Harris was introduced and he immediately started to cause problems.

On 84 minutes Clarke-Harris headed into the path of Ephron Mason-Clark but his right footed shot from the centre of the box was straight at Tickle.

McManaman then did well to defend a dangerous deep cross at the back post on 88 minutes.

Six minutes of added time and the visitors continued to threaten the Latics goal.

Pearce cleared Joe Randall’s effort off the goal-line and then Clarke-Harris headed just wide from close range as Latics held on for an important victory.

Overview

This was a tremendous result against a team who will probably be in the promotion mix at the end of the season.

Latics were without several key players on the night and the players coming into the team did a very good job indeed to keep the winning run going.

Maloney’s tactical changes and substitutions made a big difference when the game might’ve gone away from them in the second half.

The energy of McManaman, Sze, Pearce and Stones helped Latics to get over the line in a difficult fixture.

McManaman only seems to score spectacular goals these days, when they come they are magnificent. His strike against Northampton in August was something special but this one was equally as good.

Latics did ride their luck a little, particularly in the final minutes, but overall they just about deserved the victory which moved them away from the bottom of the table.

Post match comments

Speaking afterwards, Maloney reserved special praise for McManaman, and expressed he enjoyed seeing the players celebrate as one after the full-time whistle and in the changing rooms after the game.

“He’s (Callum McManaman) got a lot of talent,” Maloney said

“He’s been in a great place the last few weeks. He’s made a big impact (in games) off the bench. He can produce moments of magic, and was brilliant, as were all the players.

“We had to make a tactical change when it went one-all, and all the players deserve every bit of credit. I thought they were superb today.

“It’s really good to listen to the group celebrating together as well. That’s the pleasing part.

We can do a lot of things. Some of the way we played with the ball was very good. We showed many different ways to win a game tonight. Some things were very good in the first half, and then when we scored, we had to show a real heart and desire not to concede and we did that.

When you have Steven Humphrys and Martial Godo on that top line, then we will always be a counter-attack threat.

Second half they started to dominate and we got a foothold back with the substitutions. It felt it could have gone either way but thankfully Callum produced a bit of magic.”

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