Wigan Athletic 1-0 Queens Park Rangers: Kieffer Moore boosts Latics hopes
- Published
Kieffer Moore's goal against QPR was his first for Wigan since February
Crisis club Wigan Athletic boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation punishment for going into administration after overcoming Queens Park Rangers on a night of high emotion at an empty DW Stadium.
While victory keeps them 16th in the table, eight points and six places above the bottom three, the looming threat of having a 12-point deduction imposed on them for their off-field troubles effectively means they are five points from safety with four games remaining.
Kieffer Moore gave the beleaguered hosts a much-needed boost and deserved lead just after the half-hour mark, beating Joe Lumley at his near post with a powerfully struck right-foot shot.
Moore should have made it two after the break, but bent his effort narrowly wide after cutting in from the left to create time and space to shoot.
David Marshall ensured the Latics claimed all three vital points by keeping out Ilias Chair in the 60th minute, while Jamal Lowe was denied at the other end moments later.
Wigan mark homecoming with victory
There were no home comforts behind closed for the Latics as they played at DW Stadium for the first time since being placed into administration just seven days earlier.
While the pandemic has meant fans cannot be in the stands to show their support for the club in its greatest time of need, they have united to raise more than £130,000 in a week to go towards funding the side for the rest of the season.
It has been a turbulent eight days since they were last at home - when they overpowered Stoke City 3-0 - with the club's very existence put under threat by what one MP has called a "major global scandal".
A number of jobs at the Latics have already been lost, with members of manager Paul Cook's staff among those made redundant, while players have only been paid a fraction of their wages.
Moore gives Wigan hope
Despite the off-field turmoil, Wigan started brightly - showing plenty of commitment going forward, resilience in defence and composure and professionalism in the circumstances.
Their attacking endeavour in the first half was particularly impressive, with Lowe setting the tone after just three minutes with an effort from the edge of the box that forced Lumley to save with his legs.
Kal Naismith had an effort deflected off target soon after, with Kieran Dowell also threatening before Moore eventually opened the scoring.
The forward hammered home his seventh and undoubtedly most uplifting goal of the season after meeting a finely threaded pass from Sam Morsy.
For all the summer signing has done for the club this season as top scorer, Wigan's hopes of remaining in England's second tier may yet be destined to be decided off the pitch with David Phillips QC assuming the role of their most valuable recruit yet as they appeal against their points deduction.
Lumley ensured Rangers, who in the first 45 minutes failed to seriously threaten at the other end, trailed by only one at the break after saving a skidding low shot from Naismith in first-half injury time.
Moore had two chances to add to Wigan's advantage after the break, the first he squandered after stepping inside Osman Kakay to shoot, while his second was deflected over the bar.
While little was demanded of Marshall in the Latics goal, he was alert to Chair's effort on the hour as Wigan saw out a victory that may yet help ensure that their Championship status will be decided on the pitch.
Post-match reaction
Wigan boss Paul Cook:
"People have written us off, the 12 points. (But) we're still fighting.
"We're not going to get ahead of ourselves. We are not stupid, we have a real big mountain to climb.
"We are in administration, it's a 12-point deduction. I just hope the EFL hand punishments out for other clubs that have been breaking the rules.
"At the minute we're accepting it, if that's going to be the case. But we've still got plenty of fight in us."
QPR boss Mark Warburton:
"They probably wanted it more than us in the first half. They've had some shocking news, appalling news and we knew they'd be united and together and angry, and they were.
"But then the second half we came out much better and controlled the first 15 minutes, and then we have to score. We can't miss from four yards out, basically into the middle of the goal, we can't miss those chances."