I said before the game I would have taken a point and based on how it played out - have to be very happy with the point we got.
We looked positive for the first 20-25 minutes and scored a fantastic counter attacking goal. Pace in the dribble, great off the ball movement and a whole group of black shirts moving forward. But then we barely did it again in the game as Wigan dragged us into a battle rather than a football match. Quite strange really, because I thought they looked a better side when they tried to string a few passes together in the first half, so the change in direction to lump the ball forward, look for free kicks and long-throws and generally want to win the second ball can only have been to stop us from playing our way.
There goal was incredibly annoying, the ball in behind Seddon/Sykes had been on the for the majority of the first half, and we didn't react to try and eliminate the threat. Sykes was leaving their wing-back to roam, which meant Seddon was having to operate in the space, rather than commit to marking the wing-back or the forward. When you pause the highlights with the ball in the air, Sykes is in the opposition half as the front 3 pressed, Seddon is in the hole between their wing-back and forward, and one ball has then beaten Seddon and McGuane, if being really picky, McNally doesn't come across quick enough to take the option of the shot away from Lang.
I'm not sure how the ball went past Stevens either, seemed an odd dive and he look annoyed with himself as he re-took his position in goal, his flap at the cross just before half-time where they hit the post was jittery, but he did well versus the high ball in the second half.
We couldn't get going second half, became quite frantic at times and couldn't put a stop to Wigan's unrelenting and uncompromising approach. No-one in our midfield could really get a grip of the game with Naylor and Shinnie winning that battle fairly easily though the energy of Brannagan/Kane/McGuane was key in our successful defence of the point. Though all three faded about the same time, which certainly didn't help going into the final few minutes.
McGuane had a frustrating game for me, you could see what he was trying to do a lot of the time, but often over complicated it, taking an extra touch when a simple pass was on. Spent a lot of time looking for free-kicks of which some he got and some he didn't. There's definitely a player in there somewhere, but I really want to see him threatening the edge of the opposition box more, he has the ability to go on driving forward runs (Baptiste style) but seemed to prefer to twist and turn backwards last night.
I think we would have really benefitted from having a Browne or a Whyte available to come on as a pacey option for the outball as the game wore on but thought Winnall did well to keep their defenders occupied.
McNally and Moore were superb for me, bodies on the line, numerous headers won and generally didn't take any sh!t from Humphry's or Magennis. Long and Seddon also defended pretty well, though seeing McLean in acres of space out wide for the majority of the game was pretty nerve wracking.
For all that Wigan were on top in terms of territory, they only really made the one clear-cut chance in stoppage time where Stevens pulled off a great reaction save.
We'd have lost that in the past and there is something quite satisfying about getting a gritty point away from home, especially when we offered very little going forward, especially in the second half and just the 1 shot on target and 1 corner for the 90minutes.
