Shaun Maloney confident he can lead Wigan to safety after draw with Bristol City

Posted Thursday, February 16, 2023 by PA

Shaun Maloney was in upbeat mood after celebrating three games unbeaten as Wigan boss thanks to Ashley Fletcher’s second-half equaliser.

City took a 36th-minute lead when centre-back Rob Atkinson got forward to head home a left-wing cross from midfielder Anis Mehmeti.

But Wigan hit back, with Fletcher finding himself unmarked six yards out to squeeze a low shot past Max O’Leary.

The Latics remain in the Championship relegation zone, but a delighted Maloney said: “Having had some time to work with the lads, I am confident we can get out of the situation we are in.

“Tonight, I am happiest of the three matches because we had to make changes at half-time and the players responded.

“I asked for more from the lads and they came up with it. The three subs I sent on at the break did well, as did our later one, and in the end I am very happy with the performance.

“The players are giving me everything and scrapping for every point. But there is still a lot of work to do and that will continue tomorrow.

“Bristol hurt us at times in the first half and I didn’t think we were aggressive enough in possession.

“I wanted a different profile. It is the players who change games and they did that in the second half, so I’m very happy.”

City’s Alex Scott and Mehmeti were denied by the woodwork in the second half and boss Nigel Pearson was not unduly concerned by two dropped home points after seeing his side extend their unbeaten run to 10 games in all competitions.

He said: “I’m disappointed not to have won the game, but that is a measure of how far we have come, not just during the unbeaten run, but over the past two years.

“We conceded a scruffy goal, but responded pretty well and if either side was going to win it, I think it was going to be us.

“It wasn’t the best of games and sometimes you have to give the opposition credit. Wigan did not allow us any space in behind them.

“They are a side who are scrapping and having to be organised. I am sure they will be OK this season.

“It wasn’t an easy game for us, but I still felt we were the better side, without doing enough to win the game.

“Hitting the woodwork creates excitement in the crowd. But we had a lot of better situations that needed a more clinical edge, while they didn’t really create anything.”