With Sam Morsy missing out through suspension it was no surprise to see Donervon Daniels make his return. What was surprising though, was to see Chris McCann fall to the bench in place of Yanic Wildschut giving us a very lopsided team in terms of our defensive shape. Although our attacking intent was clear with four players on the field who would look to get forward.
That attacking intent from Wigan would be clear later on in the game, but it was actually Peterborough United who had the ball in the back of the net first. Former Wigan loanee Shaquille Coulthirst tapping in from close range, the flag was up though after an offside earlier in the build up.
Wigan were limited to longer shots for most of first half with Max Power having the pick of them. Peterborough’s keeper at full stretch to stop the goal bound effort. The rebound fell to Will Grigg who smashed it over. It would be a frustrating game in all in all for our main striker. Who would see the acrobatics of Peterborough keeper Stuart Moore deny him time and time again late on.
Before that though we had a first half to play and it would be one with Wigan losing three players to injury. Jussi Jaasekelinan the first after a collision in the box with a Peterborough player, the Finnish goalkeeper was flat out and following treatment was replaced by Lee Nicholls in goal. Next up would come Connor McAlney who would limp off to be replaced by Chris McCann. Whilst Jason Pearce would make it to half time before Leon Barnett would come on in his place. Let’s hope none of those injuries are serious.
The ability to change the game in the second half could have made all the difference. Yet Wigan eventually found a way through the Peterborough defence. That was after both wide men in Yanic Wildschut and Ryan Colclough had missed chances to score after being put through one on one. In the end Will Grigg stepped up and showed them how it was done as he slid the ball under the on rushing goalkeeper Moore with twenty minutes to go.
You felt that might kill Peterborough off, and it probably would have done had it not been for a Marcus Maddison freekick which serve and confused goalkeeper Lee Nicholls. The strike bending away from the keeper to hit the bottom of the post and into the net, just agonizingly out of reach.
The score then was 1-1 with ten minutes to go, and rally the troops they did with a storm of pressure.
This time though, unlike so many times this season, we couldn’t find that winning goal. Twice our striker Grigg dared to believe he had found that half a yard to get a shot off on goal, both times though a big hand from Stuart Moor in goal denied him.
The referee’s whilst blew and Wigan had only managed a point against an out of form Peterborough. The other fixtures though had gone our way with Burton drawing and Walsall losing. Opportunity missed? Possibly but Gary Caldwell and his men continue their recent unbeaten run.