Wigan Athletic 2-0 Blackburn Rovers: Evans and Jacobs give Latics victory
- Published
Michael Jacobs' late goal for Wigan was his third of the season
Wigan manager Paul Cook insisted there was no magic formula behind his side's excellent run of results after they beat Blackburn Rovers with late goals by Lee Evans ad Michael Jacobs.
The win extended the Latics' unbeaten run to eight games, either side of the coronavirus interruption of the season, and Cook's men have not conceded in their last six matches.
Substitutes Evans and Jacobs struck in the final 10 minutes as Wigan moved up to 17th place in the Championship, five points away from the relegation places.
"People think there's some kind of magic dust in football, that you go and change and it's magic," Cook said.
"We've got lads now like Kieffer (Moore) and Jamal (Lowe) who feel good within the team, we're bringing on substitutes like Evans and Jacobs, who are mainstay players, so the squad strength's getting better.
"But most importantly the lads have learnt from their mistakes.
"Like most people in life, when you start a job, especially when you move up leagues, it can be brutal, the learning curve can be tough. Now all of a sudden these lads are learning and it's great to see."
Final 10 minutes to remember
Wigan boss Paul Cook (right) won the battle of the bosses with Tony Mowbray
After 80 minutes of few clear-cut chances, Evans blasted Wigan into the lead with an effort that went in off the underside of the bar after Christian Walton had fumbled Antonee Robinson's cross under pressure from Moore.
Rovers almost equalised straight away as Dominic Samuel's header at the far post was acrobatically tipped over by David Marshall.
Jacobs then hit Rovers on the counter attack as the visitors piled forward in stoppage time - the substitute ran the length of the opposition half before cutting in on his right foot to curl in low past Walton.
The win - Wigan's fifth in six games - sees Cook's side move further away from the relegation zone, while Rovers stay ninth, four points outside the play-off places.
The Latics have not conceded since 15 February when Kal Naismith's 55th-minute own goal brought Cardiff City level as the two sides drew 2-2 in Wales.
Since then Wigan have also taken the scalps of West Bromwich Albion, Reading, Huddersfield and Millwall - and drew 0-0 with Luton Town in their final game before the season was halted by lockdown.
Forgettable first 80 minutes
This was a fixture that was high on endeavour but lacking on cutting-edge quality as Wigan kept faith with the side that won at Huddersfield on their return to action.
The Latics had two good efforts in the opening 10 minutes - Moore curling an effort just wide before Cedric Kipre headed wide from a corner.
Lowe should have scored with four minutes to go as he ran into the area, but he was smothered by Rovers' defence as the ball ran under his feet.
Blackburn's Stewart Downing - making his 701st career appearance - was the only player to test either keeper before the break as the former England winger's curling free-kick forced Marshall into a full-stretch save in the final minute of the half.
It was more of the same from Blackburn after the break as Sam Gallagher's forceful header at the far post went over the bar from Downing's floated ball, but Wigan replied almost instantly as Sam Morsy fired a 30-yard swerving effort just wide of the post.
Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray brought on top-scorer Adam Armstrong and fellow forward Dominic Samuel with 25 minutes to go and the pair almost combined soon after as the former's whipped low cross just evaded Samuel's outstretched leg.
"I don't think there was anything in the game," Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire after the final whistle.
"I think we controlled the second half and yet found a way to lose the game.
"They won the game 2-0, we can't argue about it, and yet I felt as if anybody was going to win second half we were probably the dominant team.
"We were probing, but not enough efforts at goal, not enough threat ultimately and we paid for it."