Chris Sze had a goal disallowed

• In form teams Wigan Athletic and Lincoln City cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw at the DW Stadium.
• Neither team created many chances in a chess-like game but Latics were denied a late winner by the referee.
• The hosts best chance of the first half fell to Jonny Smith but he blasted over and the Imps best opportunity came at the beginning of the second half after a goalmouth scramble, the ball was flicked behind for a corner as TJ Eyoma tried to force the ball home.
• Latics looked like they had won it with five minutes remaining when Jordan Jones’ cross was spilled by keeper Jensen and substitute Chris Sze fired home from close range. But the referee incorrectly whistled for a foul on the goalkeeper.
• Latics remain in 14th place and Lincoln in ninth place in the League One table.

Shaun Maloney made three changes from their last league victory against Fleetwood Town, with Liam Morrison, Kell Watts and Jonny Smith coming into the starting line-up in place of the injured Omar Rekik, Tom Pearce and Martial Godo. 

The Imps started the better and they had an early chance after Danny Mandroiu slipped in Lasse Sorensen behind Jordan Jones, but Jones did well to get back to stop the shot.

Ethan Hamilton then tested Sam Tickle from distance, but it was an easy save.

Latics nearly went in front on 10 minutes when Jonny Smith’s excellent in-swinging corner was punched away from under the crossbar by Lukas Jensen.

Neither team pushed many players forward and chances were very rare in the first half.

The best chance of the half fell to Latics as they broke dangerously on the counter attack on 43 minutes.

Stephen Humphrys drove forward feeding Callum Lang who played in Jonny Smith inside the box, but the winger blasted over from 20 yards. If he had showed a little more composure the hosts might’ve been ahead at the break.

The Imps had the first opportunity of the second half as Jack Burroughs fired over from 25 yards after the ball had been pulled back to him from the right.

The visitors best chance of the second half came came on 49 minutes following a corner. During a goalmouth scramble TJ Eyoma tried to force the ball home but the ball was flicked away for a corner by Liam Morrison.

Maloney introduced Callum McManaman for Jonny Smith on 59 minutes and he quickly made an impact.

He played a neat one-two with Sean Clare who fed Humphrys, but his deflected effort flew over the crossbar.

Jack Vale was brought down on the edge of the penalty area by another Latics substitute Steven Sessegnon, but he did well to get out and block the free-kick.

Charlie Wyke and Sze replaced Humphrys and Lang with 10 minutes remaining and they quickly started to pose problems for the visitors.

Latics and Sze were denied what looked like a perfectly good winner with five minutes remaining.

The goalkeeper had spilled the ball into Sze’s path and the young striker finished well, but the referee Charles Breakspear adjudged that there was a foul on Jensen in the build-up and disallowed the goal.

Let’s just hope the two missed points doesn’t prove to be crucial at the end of the season.

Overview

This was an extremely hard fought encounter against an in form Lincoln who are well drilled under new manager Michael Skubala. The Imps are unbeaten in four games and look like they may be good enough to challenge for the playoffs.

The visitors had come with a game plan to thwart Latics and they achieved their objective.

The Tics defence looked solid throughout but the forwards generally struggled to make an impact. Humphrys didn’t have his best game and his roaming role can often mean there is no striker in the box when crosses come in. It is a quandary for Maloney to resolve in the next game at Port Vale.

Although both teams had cancelled each other out for most of the game Latics were denied the victory by a dreadful refereeing decision. It was clear to everyone that goalkeeper Jensen was not impeded in the build up and Sze’s goal should have stood.

Looking positively Latics remain unbeaten in nine games and considering the high number of injuries to key players that is quite an achievement.

With substitutes Wyke and Sessegnon returning to the team, at least Latics are getting some players back fit for the Christmas games.

League One Table

Post match comments

Speaking afterwards Maloney praised his side’s effort levels at the end of a block of fixtures.

“I thought Lincoln were very hard to break down and very aggressive,” he said.

“Analysing their last four games, their manager has had a really positive impact on them defensively. Their mentality was very good.

“In the second half, I liked more from us. It’s a game where we have to stay patient to try and break a team down who are very good defensively. 

“We probably didn’t do enough creatively in the final third but I cannot fault the players for their effort.

“They continued to try and do the right thing but there were moments where we weren’t quite at the levels in the final third as we have been in the last two months.

“What they’ve done in the last two months has been an incredible run, and the only message for when they come back to training is the mentality has to still be as strong. 

“Today was tough. The conditions were tough against a good team defensively, and we just couldn’t break them down.

“I’d have loved to have won today but you’ve got to respect the opposition. We were slightly off it in terms of our attacking play and that made it a difficult match. 

“We have to go again. I’ve liked what I’ve seen over the last couple of months but I’ll still demand more from the players and staff.”

Player ratings

Player ratings courtesy of Whoscored.com