Shaun Maloney lauds ‘pleasing way to end season’ after Wigan beat Bristol Rovers

Posted Sunday, April 28, 2024 by PA

Wigan manager Shaun Maloney admitted everything ‘clicked’ during the 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers at the DW Stadium which saw his side climb into the top half of Sky Bet League One.

A goal in either half from Josh Magennis and Jonny Smith secured the points for Wigan, who were utterly dominant from start to finish and could easily have won by five or six.

“It’s a really pleasing way to end the season, I love how we played,” said Maloney.

“I know it’s the last game but I was really pleased with how we played.

“It moves up to 12th and I really wanted to finish in the top half after everything that has gone on.

“We started really aggressively and I couldn’t have asked much more from the players.

“Their goalkeeper made a few really good saves and it just felt like we had so much momentum.

“Today it ‘clicked’ and we’ve been striving for a performance like that for so long.

“We had parts of that against Charlton, against Portsmouth and against Lincoln, but today it was the full game.

“It’s one thing having the ball and another actually being dangerous with it.

“I felt we were dangerous for the full game and I really liked what I saw.

“The first goal was massive and we needed that because we’ve played as well as that a few times and not taken advantage.

“But we’ve managed to score some nice goals recently and that was again the case today.”

For Rovers boss Matt Taylor, who was without a full team of senior players, it was a day to forget.

“We didn’t start the game with enough intent or intensity,” he said. “We didn’t have enough sprints in us and we paid the price by going a goal down.

“Then, early in the second half, there was a poor moment from ourselves and the game was over at 2-0.

“Like I said in the lead up to this game, I don’t want that to just be a reflection on the group of players out there because we’re in the double digits in terms of senior players not available. Some of those players are important players in certain positions.

“The goals we conceded weren’t good and I think that’s probably happened too often this season.

“I think we’ve conceded the second-most goals in the league which is a damning statistic. The other aspect is we need to create more and score more.

“We can talk about not having centre-forwards but we still need to get the ball in and around the opposition box.

“We didn’t have anyone waiting to get on the end of a cross, or be in the box and score a tap-in.

“With no one quite like that on the pitch then you’re losing out on crossing opportunities and you are forcing it too many times.

“I think everyone knows we’re going to have a busy summer. It’s a strange time of year because everything seems to go to sleep for the next three or four weeks.

“But we want to get as many through the door as early as possible because we know how important pre-season will be in terms of bedding them in.”