• Two former Wigan Athletic players came back to haunt them as they lost 2-0 to Blackpool at the Brick Community Stadium.
• Latics had the better of the first half and should’ve been ahead after 16 minutes but Will Aimson could only head over the crossbar from close range.
• The visitors upped their game in the second half and were gifted the lead in the 59th minute when Matt Smith was dispossessed and substitute and former Latic Dale Taylor crossed for another former player Ashley Fletcher to slot home.
• The Tangerines doubled their lead five minutes later when Fletcher flicked the ball for Taylor to finish.
• The hosts tried to respond and substitute Paul Mullin had a goal ruled out for offside, and later blazed over the crossbar from close range.
• Latics drop to 14th place and the Tangerines are now in 22nd place in the League One table.

Ryan Lowe made one change to the side that drew with Huddersfield Town with Dara Costelloe coming in for Luke Robinson, who was named on the bench.

It was a quiet opening to the game with the first shot coming from the visitors on 10 minutes when Josh Bowler’s strike was comfortably saved by Sam Tickle.

At the other end Callum Wright’s header was easily saved Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

The best chance of the half fell to Latics in the 16th minute. 

Fraser Murray’s in-swinging corner from the right resulted in a game of head tennis before it was met by Will Aimson at close range, who really should’ve given Latics the lead.

With both sides lacking a goal threat the scores were level at the break.

The visitors were much improved in the second half.

Almost inevitably it was two former Latics players who combined to open the scoring for the Tangerines.

Smith was dispossessed by the touchline and substitute Taylor crossed for Fletcher to finish at the near post.

The hosts tried to respond and Costelloe’s flick on was met by Aimson, whose header at close range was parried away by Peacock-Farrell.

The visitors doubled their lead five minutes later as they broke quickly and Fletcher’s back flick was finished by Taylor. 

Latics now pushed men forward to try and get back in the game but it was all in vain as substitute Mullin had a goal ruled out for offside, and later blazed over the crossbar from close range.

Latics will need to be much improved if they are to get anything from the trip to high-flying Bradford City on Boxing Day.

Overview 

Latics were the better side for much of the game but they continue to struggle in front of goal.

The visitors only had a few chances but they were clinical when the chances arose.

It was almost inevitable that former players Taylor and Fletcher would come back to punish Latics. 

Taylor was the Tics top scorer last season and it’s such a pity that they couldn’t afford the transfer fee to keep him at the club. Fletcher is something of a journeyman and struggled for goals at Latics, but he now seems to have found his mojo and has scored 13 goals this season.

It’s now evident that Latics’ strike force of Costelloe, Saydee and Mullin lack the quality to get the goals they will need this season. They aren’t getting good service but when the chances do arise they are invariably missed.

Ryan Lowe has invested in Saydee and Costelloe but it’s just not working out, and the on-loan Mullin may return to Wrexham in January.

A rethink is required if Latics are to make a push for the playoffs. 

Young striker Harrison Bettoni should be given his chance and they need to bring in at least another striker in January if they are to make the progress required.

Post-match comments 

Speaking post-match, Lowe showed frustration with missed chances in the game, and the fine details in football that swung the game in Blackpool’s favour.

“I thought we were the better team for most of the game,” he told the media.

“The big moments, that’s what happens in this division, and we had them moments, three big chances and we didn’t score any of them.

“They (Blackpool) have three chances on goal and score two. Sam (Tickle) had nothing to do in the first half, we were good, we dominated.

“Speaking to Ian (Evatt) before the game and we were saying, small margins, and that’s what’s happened.

“It’s been a bit of a smash and grab. People will look at it a bit different because it’s 2-0, but they scored the big chances and we didn’t.

“There’s not much more we can do, I said to the lads in there, we do the work with them on a daily basis, and they followed the gameplan for large parts.

“For the first goal, a throw in back, we give it away and don’t track our runners. The second one was a diagonal, pass round the corner, and we don’t track our runners.

“When that happens, you concede goals. I thought we played some good stuff today.

“We were on the front foot, in good areas, we need to score when we’re on top, we know that.

“We just didn’t have that quality to do that, so, that’s obviously then down to is something going to drop for you, is it not?

“When you leave good players unmarked and good players in the box they can punish you, and that’s what’s happened.”

Lowe, meanwhile, expressed the spirit his side will need to push forward after their unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday.

“We’ve got to go again. Listen, the unbeaten run, seven games, it was three wins and four draws.

“It’s good, but now it’s gone, it’s moved on, it was going to end at some point.

“Now we’ve got to get into this Christmas period, and we’ve got to believe we can go and win games of football.

“We’re going up against some good teams, tough teams, but hopefully we can relish that opportunity of playing against good teams.

“Teams in the playoffs, and first and second, and give a good account of ourselves. That’s got to be the reaction.”

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