Alex Neil relieved with Stoke win in ‘scruffy’ match at Wigan
Posted Thursday, November 03, 2022 by PA
Alex Neil admitted the result was the only thing that mattered after Stoke ended a three-game losing run with a 1-0 victory at fellow Sky Bet Championship strugglers Wigan.
Josh Tymon marked his return to the starting XI for the first time in two months with the only goal just after the hour mark.
Wigan battled hard but saw a stoppage-time effort from Tom Naylor ruled out as they fell to a seventh defeat in eight matches.
“The importance of the result was the biggest thing for me,” said Stoke manager Neil.
“Football’s a funny old game…we’ve come away from the last three games, in my opinion, having played particularly well.
“This evening I thought it was quite a scruffy match, although if any team deserved to win it was us.
“Wigan go up against you, they make it difficult for you, they don’t let you have easy ball.
“Both teams went up against each other man for man, which sometimes doesn’t make for good viewing.
“The most important thing for us was to win the match – psychologically as much as anything else.
“When you’re playing well and you don’t get your rewards, that can only last for so long.
“You need to get your points on the board, and it’s pleasing to do that.”
For Wigan boss Leam Richardson, it was another hard-luck story in an increasing sequence of them.
Indeed, it could have been so different had top scorer Will Keane buried a first-half header from six yards out instead of sending it over the bar.
“There wasn’t much in the game all night,” he said.
“It was toing and froing all game, a couple of teams that were trying their best to win the game and trying their best not to lose it.
“Then there was just one moment where we lost our shape, and obviously they took their chance.
“Look, we expected it would be tough at this level, we expected this squad of players we brought up to be up for the healthy challenge.
“It’s not my job to only be here for the good times, and be high-fiving everybody all the time.
“It’s my job to be here when the lads need help, and they clearly need help at the moment.
“It’s my job to lead properly and be there for the lads who need it most.
“I think in the main the performances have been good.
“We’re 18 games in, and probably 14 if not 15 have been competitive.
“There’s been three we’ve possibly let ourselves down in, but tonight wasn’t one of them.
“I didn’t think there was anything in the game, it probably deserved to be a draw.
“But one lapse in our shape, one time we’re lop-sided, they get in and manage to score.
“We had a couple of chances prior to that, and we have to score.”
- Tag:
Photos
More»
[PICTURE SPECIAL] PSG 0 - 1 Dortmund
Wednesday May 08 2024
Sexy snaps of model Kay Manuel
Tuesday May 07 2024
Your Say