Wigan came from behind to earn a point from a home draw with Cheltenham in League One.
Cheltenham came flying out of the traps and were ahead inside nine minutes.
Jonny Smith felt aggrieved about conceding a free-kick close to the Wigan box and the visitors took full advantage as Tom Bradbury’s set-piece found Matty Taylor, who fired low into the bottom corner past Sam Tickle.
And that was about it for the first half, with Wigan enjoying the vast majority of possession, but being able to do very little with it.
Wigan manager Shaun Maloney’s unease was shown at the break when he made a triple attacking substitution, sending on Callum McManaman, Stephen Humphrys and Josh Magennis for Tom Pearce, Baba Adeeko and Charlie Kelman.
And that helped to set far more of a tempo for the second period, with McManaman winning the ball twice inside his first 90 seconds on the pitch, and getting the home fans back onside.
Wigan managed to force an equaliser within seven minutes of the restart, with on-loan Liverpool defender Luke Chambers firing home from a tight angle, although the ball took a massive deflection off Town defender Elliot Bonds.
Chambers then played in Magennis, who laid the ball off for Jonny Smith, who fired tamely at Luke Southwood, who had very little else to do.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Wigan
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Tickle
- 6Hughes
- 15Kerr
- 24Chambers
- 18SmithSubstituted forSmithat 84′minutes
- 26AdeekoSubstituted forHumphrysat 45′minutes
- 8Smith
- 3PearceSubstituted forMcManamanat 45′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 17Godo
- 23KelmanSubstituted forMagennisat 45′minutes
- 10Aasgaard
Substitutes
- 4Morrison
- 11Humphrys
- 12Amos
- 20McManaman
- 21Smith
- 22Sze
- 28Magennis
Cheltenham
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Southwood
- 33Davies
- 4Bradbury
- 6Freestone
- 2Long
- 23BondsSubstituted forHarropat 58′minutes
- 34PettSubstituted forSercombeat 64′minutes
- 7Kinsella
- 15Ferry
- 19LloydSubstituted forKeenaat 45′minutes
- 9TaylorSubstituted forNuttallat 58′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Smith
- 8Sercombe
- 10Keena
- 21Pardington
- 25Harrop
- 26Nuttall
- 27Thomas
- Referee:
- David Rock
- Attendance:
- 9,326
Live Text
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Match ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Cheltenham Town 1.
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Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 1, Cheltenham Town 1.
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Sam Tickle (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Joe Nuttall (Cheltenham Town).
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Foul by Matt Smith (Wigan Athletic).
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Will Ferry (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Callum McManaman (Wigan Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Callum McManaman (Wigan Athletic).
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Liam Sercombe (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Liam Kinsella (Cheltenham Town) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation.
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Foul by Thelo Aasgaard (Wigan Athletic).
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Sean Long (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Stephen Humphrys (Wigan Athletic).
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Will Ferry (Cheltenham Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Tom Bradbury.
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Attempt blocked. Thelo Aasgaard (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Luke Chambers.
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Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Lewis Freestone.
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Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Scott Smith replaces Jonny Smith.
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Martial Godo (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Josh Harrop (Cheltenham Town).