Coventry City chief hails 'tough nut to crack' Wigan Athletic

Latics were holding their own at the Coventry Building Society Society Area until the home side broke the deadlock 17 minutes from time, thanks to a Gusatvo Hamer shot that took a massive deflection on its way past Jamie Jones.

The points were secured in the fifth minute of added time when star man Viktor Gyokeres raced half the length of the field before slotting the ball past the Latics goalkeeper.

But Robins remains an admirer of Latics - and their manager.

“I think Leam Richardson has done a brilliant job there and the way he has set his team up is exactly how you would expect," he said.

"They are difficult to break down and they have a really good away record.

“So from that point they have the confidence to go away from home where they have had some really good results.

"They drew at Norwich where we were murdered.

"They have ground things out and found it more difficult of late to come by results, but they are a really tough nut to crack and have some really powerful players and some really good players.

“They are all big and they are very strong from set plays and they were very stubborn, so we had to be patient and not get anxious and really try to force things, because that’s what they were after.

"And that’s when they can counter against you and you can get into a poor position because you are trying to follow it through.

“There were ways to beat them and we said in the dressing room that was the best learning game we have had this season and it’s great to say that on the back of a win.”

The result leaves Latics second-bottom of the Championship ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash against Blackpool at the DW Stadium.

The Seasiders, who lie fourth-from-bottom, only two points better off, have also been in freefall in recent weeks.