Match report: Wigan Athletic 1, QPR 0

And that will certainly feel like the case for the players of Wigan Athletic.

Just over a week earlier, the Latics stars skipped off the pitch at the DW Stadium having seemingly secured their Championship status for another season after overwhelming Stoke City at the DW Stadium 3-0.

Who would have known that around 12 hours later they and their futures would be plunged into a period of uncertainty after the shock announcement that the club had been placed into administration.

With the Latics facing a 12-point deduction, it would appear the players have a mountain to climb to prevent the inevitable and relegation back to League One.

After Saturday's 3-0 defeat to in-form Brentford at Griffin Park, manager Paul Cook spoke post-match of how difficult the previous few days had been for himself and his men.

But his squad refuse to be unbowed and whatever may happen off the pitch from now on, they appear determined to finish the season fighting

If their performance against QPR at home on Tuesday night is anything to go by, then they still have a chance of staying up with or without the points penalty.

The Latics thoroughly deserved their victory to go level with the Londoners on 53 points.

They dominated the opening half and went in at the interval leading courtesy of Kieffer Moore's 33rd minute strike.

The home side began very much in the ascendancy and Jamal Lowe really should have put them ahead as early as the third minute.

David Marshall collected the ball and rolled it out to Nathan Byrne. The right full-back made good ground down the wing before playing a diagonal ball towards Moore.

The giant striker chested the ball into the path of Lowe, who was clear on goal. The 25-year-old had time to advance further but chose to shoot early and his drive was beaten away by Joe Lumley in the visitors' goal.

Cook and his coaching staff had their head in their hands again two minutes later after a throw-in from the left found its way to Kai Naismith at the back post but his effort was deflected wide.

It was wave after wave of Wigan attacks and Kieran Dowell saw his strike deflected for a corner after Naismith had headed Antonee Robinson's left-wing centre into his path.

In the 19th minute, Moore would have wowed the home supporters if they had been inside the stadium with a superlative little flick into the path of Lowe.

The ball ended back at the feet of Moore and his strike at goal took a deflection and looped into the path of Lowe who was unable to get a toe poke on the ball as it bounced into the grateful arms of Lumley.

Two minutes later, Moore was unable to get a good connection on the ball as he stretched at the back post following an inviting centre from Dowell.

At the other end Marshall had to be alert to smother the ball with Iilias Chair in close attendance in the 22nd minute and soon after Bright Osayi-Samuel fired straight at the home goalkeeper from 25 yards.

It seemed like it was just a matter of time before the Latics would make their superiority count and they duly obliged in the 33rd minute.

Skipper Sam Morsy carried the ball forward before threading the ball through to Moore on the right of the penalty area.

The Wales international did not have to break stride as he smashed the ball first time past Lumley into the roof of the net.

It was just what their play deserved and Naismith could have made it even sweeter in first half stoppage time, but his stinging shot from outside the area was palmed away to safety by Lumley.

The visitors must have had a bit of a rocket from their manager Mark Warburton at half-time because they started the second half in slightly more purposeful fashion.

However, it was the Latics who looked the more dangerous going forward and Moore should really have made it 2-0 in the 51st minute.

Dowell slipped the ball into his path and after stepping inside Geoff Cameron, Moore curled the ball past Lumley but wide of the far post.

Four minutes later, Moore saw his snapshot from just outside the six-yard box deflected over after a great run and cross from the right by Byrne.

While Wigan's lead was only a slender one they were always in danger of falling victim to a sucker punch and that almost happened on the hour mark when Marshall got down superbly to block Chair's point-blank effort.

Seconds later, Lumley was called into action at the other end when he pushed away Lowe's shot after the home striker had broke into the area.

The game became slightly scrappy, but it was still the hosts who looked the more likely going forward as they forced a number of corners, one of which in the 82nd minute saw Danny Fox head wide at the near post.

Despite that near miss, the Latics held on for the win to give them their fourth victory in five matches since Project Restart.

WIGAN: David Marshall, Nathan Byrne, Antonee Robinson, Cedric Kipre, Danny Fox, Sam Morsy, Joe Williams, Kieran Dowell (Lee Evans 63), Kai Naismith (Gavin Massey), Jamal Lowe, Kieffer Moore

SUBS: Jamie Jones, Lewis Macleod, Tom Pearce, Joe Gelhardt, Jan Mlakar,Gary Roberts, Alex Dobre.

Booked: Williams

QPR: Joe Lumley, Osman Kakay, Yoann Barbet, Geoff Cameron, Todd Kane (Jack Clarke 57), Aramide Oteh (Olamide Shodipo 57), Dominic Ball ( Luke Amos 45), Ryan Manning, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Eberechi Eze, Ilias Chair (Faysal Bettache 80)

SUBS: Àngel Rangel, Conor Masterson,Liam Kelly, Joe Gubbins.