Wigan 0-0 Luton: Just three shots on target in goalless DW Stadium stalemate
- Published
Wigan Athletic and Luton Town mustered just three efforts on target between them at the DW Stadium
Wigan and Luton shared the points in a largely uneventful Championship fixture at the DW Stadium.
Paul Cook's Wigan dominated proceedings but both sides created very few clear-cut openings - with only three shots on target across the 90 minutes.
Joe Garner had a chance to win it for the Latics late on, but headed Kal Naismith's cross straight at Hatters keeper Simon Sluga.
Sluga was called into action in injury time again, denying Michael Jacobs with a diving save to his left.
The Latics came into the game on the back of three successive wins, including victory at league leaders West Bromwich Albion last time out.
The hosts dominated early proceedings, Leon Balgun and Kieffer Moore both heading wide, but the Hatters had a penalty shout waved away by referee Gavin Ward just before the break when Matty Pearson appeared to be pulled back by Joe Williams in the penalty area.
Wigan were looking to win four consecutive league games in the top two tiers of English football without conceding for the first time since November 2005 in the Premier League under Paul Jewell.
But chances were even rarer in the second half. Wigan's Naismith saw an effort sail narrowly wide and Rea miss-hit a volley as both sides looked as if they were settling for a point.
Luton's Sluga was twice called into action in injury time, keeping out Jacobs and Naismith.
But Wigan could not find a breakthrough and drop to 20th in the Championship, while Luton stay 23rd in the table.
Wigan manager Paul Cook told BBC Radio Manchester:
"I thought we deserved to win. I thought we created what little good chances there were in the game.
"In terms of possession and intent, we were the team trying to win the game.
"I think Luton will see it as a good point, we're an in-form team. They've come into this game to try and frustrate us.
"It's football, there's nine games to go and every point in this league for the teams at the bottom is gold dust."
Luton boss Graeme Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"It was a deserved point, doing the analysis coming into the game I've watched Wigan and I've been so impressed.
"We've got it so right tactically off the ball today.
"I think our character got us through the first 15 minutes of the game, I think once we settled down we were fine."