• Wigan Athletic captain Max Power and vice captain Jensen Weir delivered three superb goals as they defeated MK Dons 3-1 at the Brick Community Stadium.
• In a dominant first half Latics deservedly went ahead on 36 minutes when Power fed Weir 25-yards out and the midfielder produced a powerful strike into the roof of the net.
• Latics should’ve had a penalty moments later when Fraser Murray was pushed in the back when through on goal but referee Paul Howard inexplicably waved play on before booking an incandescent Gary Caldwell.
• MK Dons went close just before half-time but debutant goalkeeper Joe Whitworth made an important save from point-blank range.
• Latics doubled their lead just after half-time when Power superbly volleyed home from outside the box.
• Weir made it 3-0 on 74 minutes when he scored his second goal with a super strike from 20-yards out.
• MK Dons pulled a consolation goal back on 81 minutes through Aaron Collins but Latics comfortably saw out the remaining minutes.

Caldwell made five changes to the side that was defeated at AFC Wimbledon, with Whitworth coming in for his debut, Morgan Fox, Charlie Gray, Luke Harris & Fraser Murray all starting.

Latics started confidently with Gray showing some good touches in midfield.

Unfortunately the hosts suffered an early blow when Luke Harris had to be withdrawn with an injury.

His replacement Reggie Walsh soon made an impact driving forward into the area and testing Craig MacGillivray with a shot to his right.

Latics were creating plenty of chances and they should’ve been ahead when Murray hit the post, Dara Costelloe nearly made contact with the rebound before Murray had a second attempt but saw his effort cleared off the line. 

But Latics deservedly did go ahead soon afterwards when Weir hit an unstoppable drive high into the net past MacGillivray from 25-yards.

The hosts should’ve had a penalty moments later when Murray was pushed in the back when through on goal but referee Howard inexplicably waved play on before booking Caldwell.

The visitors went close just before half-time but new signing Whitworth made a superb save from point-blank range.

Just three minutes into the second half Latics consolidated their lead. It was skipper Power who unleashed a fine volley into the net from 25-yards after the Dons tried to clear a corner.

Latics added a third on 74 minutes and it was that man Weir again with another fine goal. Substitute Brad Burrowes, with his first touch, laid the ball to Weir whose first-time strike went in off the post.

The visitors pulled a consolation goal back on 81 minutes through Collins but Latics saw out the remaining minutes to record their first three points of the season.

Overview

This was a much needed but also impressive display by Caldwell’s new team. Latics had struggled to score in their previous games but stalwarts Weir and Power came up with the goods when it mattered.

The changes that Caldwell had made to the team from the defeat at AFC Wimbledon made a big difference against the Dons.

Goalkeeper Whitworth steadied the defence on his debut, Fox showed his experience, while Gray looked very comfortable in a central midfield role, and Murray was a big threat going forward.

This had been a hardworking and energetic performance and the young Premier League loanees had helped Latics to perform to a high standard.

Questions still remain about the lack of a recognised goalscorer but Sonny Perkins had his best game for the club so far.

Referee Howard had produced some bizarre decisions throughout the game, yellow carding Caldwell and later red carding his assistant David Perkins. It’s fair to say the standard of refereeing in League One is poor and referee Howard is a fairly typical example.

Post-match comments

Speaking to media afterwards Caldwell said:

“We got our rewards for a good performance, and we’ve not had that for the first three games. The longer that goes on, obviously the pressure builds, but from start to finish, I thought we were outstanding tonight.

“We dominated the game in the first-half, and we should have been out of sight at half-time, but we weren’t. Then we got the goal early in the second half, and then I thought we were very good in periods before tiring a little bit and sitting in.

“However, the pressure of getting the win is there, which is understandable, but you could see how much the players wanted it. We’ve now got to be better in the closing periods, but some of our play in the first 60 minutes was sensational.”

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