Gary Caldwell made two change with the visit of Gillingham. The manager going back to our 3-4-3 shape with Leon Barnett and Recce James replacing Chris McCann and Yanic Wildschut, the attacker now having returned to parent club Middlesbrough.
It felt like Gary was going to try and contain a very direct Gillingham team to try and reduce their chances of getting at our goal, then hit them on the break. To do that we would use the pace and guile of Andy Kellet and Micheal Jacobs going forward to feed Will Grigg.
It looked early doors that this might actually work. Wigan having a much larger portion of possession and with slow build up play we were starting to find games, in particular in front of the Gillingham back four. Yet once we got there, we seemed lost for ideas and that creative spark. Instead we were resorted to half chances and missed chances. Will Grigg having two shots which were saved by Gillingham keeper Stuart Nelson.
In the end it would be Gillingham who would take the lead, before they did though they would rattle the post from a spectacular free-kick effort from inform midfielder Bradley Dack. A stupid foul conceded to the right of the Wigan Athletic box meant he had the perfect angle to open up and have a shot. His striker had Jussi Jaaskelainen beaten, luckily for Wigan it bounced back off the inside of the post.
It wouldn’t be long though before Gillingham would take the lead and it came through their first shot on goal. A lovely searching pass over the top of the Wigan Athletic backline meant that Dominic Samuel was set free on the left side. The striker’s first touch was fantastic and it meant he had only Jussi to beat. He unleashed a driven shot at the front post which clipped the Fins leg before going into the roof of the net.
1-0 and on the balance of play Gillingham probably deserved it. They had kept us from making anything solid and when we they came at us they looked much sharper. Yet it would be Wigan who finished the second half stronger.
Andy Kellet and Jason Pearce failing to make the correct connections to balls into the box to get the goal that would have brought us level. Instead we went back in at half time 1-0 down, with Gillingham scoring with their only shot on target.
Roll on the second half, and Gillingham were quickest out of the blocks and doubled their advantage. Rory Donnelly heading in from close range after our entire backline failed to clear a curving inward ball.
It was nearly 3-0 when Bradley Dack’s quick feet allowed him clean through on goal. Luckily for Wigan a poor touch see him knock the ball too wide and out for a goal kick.
It’s at times like these that you know what a team, and a manager is made of, well Gary Caldwell went for it. Jordy Hiwula and Chris McCann coming on to replace Kellett and James. The two made immediate impacts driving the team forward, with Hiwula adding that extra spark and pace up front to challenge the Gillingham backline.
In a frantic three minute period Wigan would go from 2-0 down to being back 2-2. First Will Grigg popped up with a goal, the striker in the right place at the right time to smash home Micheal Jacobs knock down. That goal gave the team belief and all of a sudden we were back in this. The crowded life and the tempo too. Then came a little bit of luck for our team. Max Power finding space on the edge of the box and unleashing one of his trademark rocket right footers. It curved and was straight at keeper Nelson, yet he let it slip through his hands!
2-2 and the DW Stadium erupted, not again surely?
Both teams now fighting tooth and nail to try and get that third and you felt winning goal. We had twenty minutes to do it and surely we could? Yet we couldn’t work that clear opening just yet and had to keep the pressure up.
With six added minutes of injury time there was always likely to be a chance, and it came in the very last minute of it. A Power corner, swung in with pace and menace which found a free Craig Morgan in the middle of the box. The captain’s header was true as it shot into the top corner of the goal to seal the three points.
This team doesn’t know when it is beaten, and long may that continue!