Thelo Aasgaard scored Latics’ second goal

• Wigan Athletic were narrowly defeated 3-2 by Stevenage in a closely fought encounter at the DW Stadium.
• Latics went ahead in the fifth minute when Josh Magennis converted a penalty after Dan Sweeney handled the ball in the area.
• Stevenage equalised on 15 minutes after a long ball was flicked into the path of James Reid, who volleyed home from close range.
• Latics restored their advantage on 38 minutes when Jordan Jones’ free-kick found Thelo Aasgaard at the back post and he controlled the ball before steering it beyond goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray.
• The hosts had a third goal disallowed in first-half stoppage time when Jonny Smith’s corner was headed home by Charlie Hughes, only for referee Ben Toner to harshly rule it out.
• Stevenage equalised in the 66th minute, when a high cross from the right was headed into the top corner by Stevenage’s Carl Piergianni.
• The visitors took the lead for the first time on 81 minutes when Louis Thompson drilled home from the edge of the area.
• Despite throwing on multiple attacking substitutes Latics were unable to restore parity and Stevenage came away with the three points.
• Latics drop to 13th place and Stevenage move into sixth place in the League One table.

Manager Shaun Maloney made five changes from the victory against Wycombe with Jason Kerr, Sean Clare, Liam Shaw, Jonny Smith, and Josh Magennis starting and Steven Sessegnon, Baba Adeeko, Stephen Humphrys and Charlie Wyke dropping out. Charlie Goode missed out due to a shoulder injury.

Latics had an early gift as Dan Sweeney handled the ball in the area. Clare crossed into the box towards Magennis who went up for the header, only for Sweeney to stick his hand out and referee Ben Toner had an easy decision to award a penalty.

Magennis converted the spot kick sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Latics were caught trying to play out from the back soon afterwards. Sam Tickle’s clearance was closed down after he and Luke Chambers attempted a short goal-kick and the ball rebounded back off Tickle and over the crossbar for a Stevenage corner.

Stevenage were pressing high and they drew level soon afterwards.

A cross came in from the left and Oliver won the initial header and Reid was there to volley past Tickle.

But it was not long before Latics were back in front.

Jordan Jones’ free-kick found Aasgaard at the back post and he controlled the ball before steering it beyond the goalkeeper.

Latics thought they had increased their lead just before half-time. Jonny Smith’s corner was headed home by Hughes, but referee Toner harshly ruled it out.

2-1 to Latics at half-time.

Early in the second half a Stevenage free kick found Piergianni at the back post and he headed across goal to Reid who should have levelled but his header drifted inches wide of the post.

Reid then had another opportunity on 51 minutes, but he fired a 20 yard free-kick wide.

Throughout the match Stevenage manager Steve Evans and his assistant Paul Raynor behaved disgracefully on the touchline. Their embarrassing antics really are a stain on the football league. They aggressively challenged every decision and treated the officials appallingly.

At every opportunity Stevenage adopted a route one approach pumping high balls into the box.

From one such attack, Nick Freeman put the ball high into the area and Piergianni looped his header into the far corner for the equaliser.

The visitors went ahead with 10 minutes remaining as Thompson fired home from the edge of the box after Latics’ midfielders failed to close him down.

Maloney made attacking changes with Martial Godo, Charlie Wyke, Stephen Humphrys and Callum McManaman replacing Sessegnon, Magennis, Shaw, Kerr and Aasgaard in the second half, but Latics were unable to draw level and Stevenage came away with the three points.

Overview

Latics were a little unlucky to have lost after they had what looked like a good goal disallowed but they had struggled defensively against an aggressive route one team.

Stevenage pumped high balls into the box for two of the goals as Latics’ defenders failed to compete and the third came when midfielders stood off and allowed a strike from the edge of the box.

Latics played the better football and they did score twice but they are currently struggling for a cutting edge and should have done much better against a fragile looking Stevenage defence.

Magennis and Jonny Smith did well but when they were replaced Latics failed to really threaten.

Wyke and Humphrys have disappointed in recent times and there is a desperate need for a goalscorer.

Latics are currently constrained to free transfers and loan signings but assuming Callum Lang leaves, they must surely look to recruit a striker.

A disturbing aspect of the game was the behaviour of Stevenage manager Evans and his assistant Raynor. Every single decision is challenged and they verbally abuse the match officials.

Evans and Raynor have a history in this type of behaviour but it has never been dealt with properly. It is time for the football authorities to take serious action against these men. But perhaps we shouldn’t ever expect the football authorities to deal with anything effectively, given their current track record with Latics.

Post match comments

Maloney was hurting post-match following the defeat, and expressed the difference between the two sides on the afternoon was how his team defended their own final third. 

“It is never a good feeling to get beat, and it’s even worse when you’re at home,” he told the media.

“The difference in this game and the reason why we lost is that we didn’t defend our box. Everything else – in terms of effort and things like that – I couldn’t have asked for any more.

“The big thing against Stevenage – and they are really good at it – is turning games into a 50/50 game.

“We didn’t allow that and some of our play was very good, and some of our performances were good. The difference was how we defended long balls and set plays, and in these types of games, they are so costly when you don’t get it right, and we didn’t get it right today.

“I won’t accept how we defended our own box, but I asked them to play under pressure and they did. Today we didn’t get it right and that’s why we lost 3-2. 

“The reason why we got beat was simple. Any long ball into our box from open play and set play created a chance, and they are really good at it. I respect what they’ve done and they’re very competitive on and off the pitch.

“It hurts. I don’t like getting beat and I don’t like getting beat at home, and we have to remember this feeling.

“We didn’t defend the box well enough, and it cost us. It hurts today.”

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