Max Power: Wigan Athletic have to start a new run

Monday’s defeat at Portsmouth – coupled with wins for Blackbrun and Shrewsbury – saw Latics fall two places on the ladder, albeit with games in hand.

Wigan’s fate is still in their own hands, and Power says the key is to stay as calm and focused as possible.

“There’s eight games to go, we know they’re going to come thick and fast, and it’s still in our hands,” he told the Wigan Post.

“You can’t get too high when you you win, and you can’t get too low when you lose.

“Shrewsbury lose the other day (Good Friday) and everybody thinks they’ve ‘gone’.

“But we know they’re a good side who aren’t going anywhere.

“We’ve already put Portsmouth to bed and the full focus is on MK Dons.”

Latics paid a high price for a below-par display at Fratton Park, with a late rally that brought about Will Grigg’s last-minute goal not enough to prevent a 2-1 defeat.

Power, however, is refusing to read too much into a

game that could have gone either way in a frantic finale. “The commitment of the team’s never been in doubt, and you saw again we gave it all right to the end,” he added.

“Two lapses of concentration from us costs us two goals, and we’ve a mountain to climb.

“After that, I thought we created all the chances, but you can’t be giving a good side a two-goal lead.

“Maybe an extra five minutes and we go on and get an equaliser, but it wasn’t to be.

“We knew there would be twists and turns in the run-in, and this is just one of them.

“It’s disappointing to lose our four-game winning run but we’ve got to start a new run as soon as possible.”