• Wigan Athletic suffered their third defeat in a week when they were defeated 2-0 by Cardiff City at the Brick Community Stadium.
• The visitors started strongly and they were ahead on 17 minutes when Rubin Colwill set-up Perry Ng who beat Sam Tickle with the help of a deflection at the near post.
• Latics might’ve drawn level on 38 minutes but the Bluebirds goalkeeper Nathan Trott produced point-blank save to deny Christian Saydee.
• In the second half the visitors continued to dominate possession but the hosts went close again when Jason Kerr’s header was tipped over and Trott denied substitute Dara Costelloe.
• The Bluebirds sealed all three points in added time when Morgan Fox brought down Yousef Salech in the box and was red carded before Salech converted the penalty.
• Latics drop to 14th place and Cardiff move up to fourth in the League One table.

Ryan Lowe made three changes from last Saturday’s league defeat at Bolton.

Captain Jason Kerr, midfielder Callum Wright and forward Christian Saydee returned to the starting line-up.

The first visitors started strongly and the first chance came when a dangerous ball into the box had Sam Tickle venturing off his line to save.

Saydee did well on the break and found Paul Mullin down the left flank. The Wrexham loanee produced a low cross into the box, but both Saydee and Callum Wright couldn’t get on the end of the cross.

At the other end Tickle did well to punch away Ryan Wintle’s deflected strike.

The Bluebirds went ahead after 17 minutes with Ng’s close-range near post effort finding the net via a deflection.

Towards the end of the first half Latics did start to threaten and on 38 minutes Saydee had a golden opportunity to equalise. The former Portsmouth striker was denied at point-blank range by Trott.

Joe Hungbo then played Fraser Murray into space, and he crossed for Mullin who headed just over the crossbar.

The visitors continued to dominate possession in the second half but it wasn’t until the hour mark that Tickle was forced into a save from Ng.

Lowe was forced to make two changes, with Mullin and Ryan Trevitt making way for Ollie Cooper and Costelloe due to injuries.

Latics briefly threatened when Kerr’s header from a corner was tipped over the crossbar by Trott.

Costelloe almost got the equaliser from the subsequent corner, but the chance lacked enough power to beat Trott.

The visitors sealed all three points in added time when Morgan Fox brought down Yousef Salech in the box – and was red carded – and Salech converted the penalty.

Latics travel to Plymouth next Saturday and will need a big improvement if they are to get anything from the game.

Overview

Lowe’s men have now lost three games in a week and lost their unbeaten home record.

They had been outplayed by a Cardiff team who moved the ball quickly, dominated possession and generally controlled the game.

In contrast Latics were unable keep much meaningful possession and they struggled to pass the ball effectively.

Lowe’s substitutions were unable to make an impact and the team were unable pose much of an attacking threat in the latter stages.

Cardiff manager Brian Barry-Murphy had got his tactics spot on.

The visitors tactics of starting with five up top had penned Latics back into defence. The hosts wingbacks just couldn’t get forward and pose an attacking threat.

Unfortunately Lowe seems unable to come up with a Plan B when their opponents have worked out the vulnerabilities of Latics’ formation.

It’s a worrying situation going forward. A good manager should be able to adjust his tactics and formation when required. Sticking rigidly to the 3-5-2 may ultimately be Lowe’s undoing.

Post match comments

Afterwards Lowe spoke to the media,  

“I am disappointed that we haven’t come out of the game with anything,” he said.

“It’s been a tough week for me, the players, staff, and the fans.

“I thought the lads tried, but they couldn’t get near a good team in certain elements. They were too quick and fast for us, and moved the ball a lot better than we did.

“We felt that the game would be won on transitions. I’ll have to watch the first goal back, but we haven’t got out to the ball quickly enough, and it’s a strike across bodies that’s ricocheted in.

“We changed a few things at half-time, and I thought we were a little bit better. We had a couple of corners and opportunities, but the last goal probably summed us up. 

“There was one point where our fans really got behind us, and we were pressing and getting in their faces, which we should’ve done more. We changed shape to allow us to have more attackers on the field and have a good go, but it meant we were wide open. 

“The lads will debrief the game tomorrow – I have got them all in at nine o’clock and will tell us what they feel went wrong. It’s on them because we give them the game plan, and they’ve got to be able to take it into fruition.

“When they do, they’re a good team and have won games of football. At the moment, there are a couple of players not doing what I am asking them to do.

“We weren’t good enough today, and we’ve got to make sure we are better in training next week.

“I don’t want to get too high in expectation, but I want to make sure the Brick is a fortress and we don’t lose many games like we have done today. That’s one – we just have to make sure it doesn’t happen too often. 

“It’s my job to pick the players and staff up because they’ll be down, and we’re going to have to keep working on the training pitch.

“We’re in a not-good spell at the moment, so that’s up to me and the staff to make sure we get back into a good spell as quickly as we can.” 

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