Five things we learned from Sheffield Wednesday (a)

1 Paying the penalty! First things first, Latics didn't play anywhere near well enough to deserve anything at Hillsborough. Yes, they hit the post in the first half through Tendayi Darikwa, with Josh Magennis turning the ball home from an offside position. But the home side always looked the more likely to edge it on the balance of chances created. The galling thing for Leam Richardson and his side, though, will be the manner of the winning goal, with Jack Whatmough appearing to make little or no contact with Massimo Luongo for the game-changing penalty. When the Latics manager is struggling to maintain his ultra-calm exterior, you know something's not right.

2 Where there's not a Will! Prior to the recent trip to Cheltenham, Latics had scored in every single league game since last Easter. Will Keane looked set to continue that run at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium as he bore down on goal in the second half, only to drag his shot wide of the far post. Having stayed down, Keane then limped off the field, and the match ended goalless. Latics have also failed to score in two of their next three games without him. It would be ridiculous to label Latics a one-man team, given the embarrassment of riches elsewhere. But Keane's importance to the side is becoming more apparent with every game he misses. As well as...

3 Square pegs, round holes? The Latics team news was greeted in midweek with a fair share of social-media grumbling about Tendayi Darikwa's selection at left-back. The skipper is far more at home at right-back, but has frequently found himself switched to accommodate Max Power - and his superb delivery from out wide - on the right. To be fair, Darikwa actually came up with Latics' best effort on goal, when he hit the post in the first half, but looked far more at ease when Latics once again switched formation in the second half, with James McClean dropping to left wing back, Darikwa to the right, and Power joining the midfield to accommodate a third centre-back. It'll be interesting to see what happens when Tom Pearce returns to full fitness, with Joe Bennett also around - but seemingly unable to put together a run of starts.

4 Four-m concern? When Latics were eliminated from the FA Cup at Stoke at the weekend, ending their 20-game unbeaten run in all competitions, they still had an unbroken sequence of a dozen matches in League One to defend. That now is also gone. Leam Richardson again insisted it was merely an opportunity to kickstart another run, and Latics must get back on the horse as quickly as possible. Thankfully, Latics didn't lose much ground in the promotion race, with Sunderland and Oxford also losing, while MK Dons and Wycombe were both held. To still be in second place - with FOUR games still in hand - is an incredibly strong position to be in at this stage of the campaign. If this is Latics' 'wobble', the damage done is far from fatal. Now is the time for unity. Not throwing the baby out with the bath water. There's 22 other sides in the division who would swap positions with Latics in a heartbeat.

5 Owls and the pussycat! With cats and footballers in the headlines, only Latics could have their game interrupted by a four-legged furry intruder in the closing stages. And well done to Jason Kerr for showing how to handle a little moggie, rather than Kurt Zouma's unspeakable behaviour. His little wave to this new friend as he handed her over was the icing on the cake.

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