• Wigan Athletic dented Huddersfield Town’s promotion hopes with an impressive 2-1 victory at the Brick Community Stadium.
• Latics started on the front foot with Owen Dale’s powerful strike tipped over the crossbar by former keeper Lee Nicholls.
• The hosts went ahead on 15 minutes when Dale Taylor got on the end of Toby Sibbick’s through ball and rounded Nicholls for his eighth goal of the season.
• Jonny Smith then produced a low strike which looked destined for the bottom corner but was superbly pushed around the post by Nicholls.
• The visitors had a rare opportunity when Ben Wiles lifted the ball over Sam Tickle, but Will Aimson cleared off the line.
• Latics deservedly doubled their lead on 42 minutes when Dale fired home at the far post from Jonny Smith’s right-wing cross.
• Huddersfield reduced the deficit early in the second half when Dion Charles crossed for Callum Marshall to finish from close range.
• The visitors huffed and puffed but struggled to create any clear-cut chances and Latics held on for an important victory in their quest to pull away from the bottom teams in the division.
• Latics move up to 14th and the Terriers remain in fifth place in the League One Table. 

Shaun Maloney made two changes from Saturday’s draw at Wycombe Wanderers, with Baba Adeeko and Jonny Smith coming into the starting line-up in place of Jensen Weir and Joe Hungbo.

Latics started brightly and went close inside 10 minutes as Dale cut inside from the left wing and fired a powerful strike from the edge of the area which Nicholls tipped over the crossbar.

Five minutes later and Latics were ahead as Sibbick found Taylor in behind the Terriers defence and he calmly rounded the Nicholls and tapped the ball into the empty net.

Soon afterwards Jonny Smith cut inside and bent a low strike which looked destined for the corner, only for Nicholls to dive to his right and push the ball around the post.

The Terriers had a rare opportunity as Ben Wiles was in behind the Latics defence, but his lifted effort over Tickle was cleared off the line by Will Aimson.

Latics deservedly doubled their lead two minutes before the break. Dale fired home at the far post from Jonny Smith’s right-wing cross. 

Maloney’s men had produced one of their best first half performances of the season and probably should’ve been more than two ahead at the break.

The home fans were hoping for more of the same in the second half but the Terriers quickly pulled a goal back.

Dion Charles broke free of his marker and crossed for Marshall to finish from close range on 50 minutes.

The visitors were boosted and threatened when Josh Koroma got in down the left and fired wide.

But Latics held firm and were still dangerous on the counter attack as the visitors pushed for a late leveller. 

Substitute Tawanda Chirewa fired wide of Tickles’ top corner.

In added time a cross from the left was met by the head of Ben Wiles, but he could not get his effort on target.

Despite four minutes of added time Latics held out comfortably and moved further away from the relegation zone.

Overview

The was an impressive victory by Maloney’s men against a team currently in the play-off places.

Latics first half performance was one of their best of the season and they probably deserved to be more than two goals ahead at half-time.

Wingers Owen Dale and Jonny Smith were particularly dangerous and caused Huddersfield all sorts of problems. Dale scoring his first goal for the club.

Dale Taylor once again worked tirelessly and thoroughly deserved his eighth goal of the season.

The defence was once again typically solid with Toby Sibbick having one of his best games for the club.

Latics took their foot off the pedal a little in the second half as they tired but they ultimately managed out the game effectively limiting Huddersfield’s chances.

Latics’ January signings have given the team a boost and hopefully the team will continue to progress as they get more players back from injury.

Maloney will want his team to continue their recent improvement in form when they face Reading at the Brick on Saturday.

League Table

Post match comments 

Speaking post-match, Maloney was quick to praise both his players and the Latics supporters.

“It was a big win,” he told the media.

“I’m delighted. Some of our home form has been good, but we haven’t had the results to back it up.

“I’m delighted for the players. The support at the end was amazing – and so was the performance.

“The first half was as good as we’ve played all season, and then we had to show the other side in the second half.

“It was really important to get that win, especially for our home fans. Some of our away performances have been very good, but our home fans haven’t seen us win enough at home.

“I’m delighted for them. They also got to see a performance – the first half was exciting and I’m really proud of how the players played today.”

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