'Keep your heads held high' - Wigan Athletic boss' plea after Stockport County collapse
Gary Caldwell implored his Wigan Athletic players to keep their 'heads held high' despite their 4-0 drubbing by Stockport County.
After the midweek high of the victory over MK Dons, Latics quickly feel back down to earth against their north west rivals.
County were three goals up inside 21 minutes and, although Latics hit the [post in the second half, County's fourth goal in the last minute was no more than they deserved.
"It's never nice to lose, it's never nice to lose at home, it's never nice to lose to that margin," assessed the Latics boss.
"But I think we've said a few times already this season, that this is a young group that is developing.
"And we are going to have moments like this, where the most important thing is that we learn from it - myself first, then the staff, and the players.
"If everyone learns from moments like this, then that's the only way this team, this club, is going to get better.
"While it's hard just now, I've had days like this as a manager, as a coach and as a player in my career.
The biggest thing - and I've told the players this - is to walk out of the stadium with your heads held high.
"You have to accept what this is, in terms of the reality of League One, and the level a team like Stockport is at.
"And you have to do something about it...you have to come into work desperate for the opportunity to do something about it, and get better."
Caldwell tweaked his favoured three-man backline to a back four, with three forwards supporting lone frontman Dara Costelloe - a tactic he readily admitted did not work.
"We went 4-2-3-1 to have an extra man on the last line, and I'll accept responsibility that we could have gone man to man a bit earlier," he said.
"But if you're going to go with that, the front four have to be really aggressive, their body language has to be very good.
"They have sprint to press, and get into people's faces, and we didn't do that...not so much we didn't do that, but we didn't have the energy to do that.
"I look at Reggie Walsh, who's a 17-year-old kid, who's played Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday for the first time in his life, and he just didn't have the energy.
"So that's why I say that's on my, I have to understand this team, and recognise when we can press that aggressively, and when we might have to sit 15 yards deeper."
The visitors were three goals to the good inside 21 minutes as Latics didn’t know what had hit them.
Kyle Wootton, Harry Wood and Jack Diamond found the net in a blistering opening, and only a brilliant save at point-blank range from Joe Whitworth prevented a fourth County goal within five minutes of the restart, after a scramble from a corner.
Latics were denied a response when Archie Harris hit the post from close range, before a rocket from Chris Sze forced Oliver Whatmuff into his only real save of the afternoon.
Jason Adigun hit the post for Stockport with a deflected effort, but there was still time for Ryan Glover to make it four in the very last minute.