REACTION: Shaun Maloney on Wigan Athletic's agonising defeat at Wrexham - 'If we'd drawn 1-1, I would have been disappointed...'

Latics more than held their own against the second-placed side in League One, and will be left wondering how they went home with nothing.

They almost took the lead within seconds of the restart when Wrexham's Matty Smith diverted a Thelo Aasgaard cross against his own bar, before Jensen Weir sent the rebound over the top.

It was very much against the run of play when Ryan Barnett put Wrexham ahead on the hour mark with a shot that took a massive deflection on its way past Sam Tickle.

But justice was seemingly done with 10 minutes left as substitutes Silko Thomas and Joe Hugill combined to massive effect, the former crossing for the latter to head home past Mark Howard.

However, there was to be a sting in the tale, as Wrexham substitute Steven Fletcher fired hard and low past Tickle to secure all three points.

"I'm normally pretty honest when I do these interviews, and I can't say anything negative about the team after that," said Maloney. "There'll be moments in both boxes you could probably pick out for improvement, but I thought we were brilliant.

"They are a really dangerous team, every time their goalkeeper has it you know they can cause problems with the long ball, but I couldn't ask any more of us with and without the ball. Again, we probably had chances we should have taken, but they've given me everything out there.

"It's a tough one, because you never want to accept getting beat, but if you are to get beat, you want it to be playing like that. If we'd drawn 1-1, I would have been disappointed...that's how well we played.

"And I feel most disappointed for the players and also the supporters, who I thought were brilliant. You look at the level of investment in this team (Wrexham)...and I think we've come here and outplayed them.

"In the last 10 minutes, the game could have gone either way, and I didn't want us to take our foot off the gas. I wanted us to go all-out for the win, but their second goal is similar to the first, a long diagonal ball that ends up in our box, and Fletcher has brilliant quality, it's a brilliant finish."

Latics settled into the game straight away and dominated the opening 45 against their promotion-chasing opponents.

Baba Adeeko might have done better when presented with an opportunity just inside the box, but by the time he shot a defender was in position to make the block.

Sadly, that was Adeeko's last involvement, before limping off to be replaced by Jensen Weir.

Latics didn't let it rattle them, though, and a teasing cross from Michael Olakigbe was only just over the head of Dale Taylor and also agonisingly just in front of Jonny Smith

The visitors started the second half in the same manner, and almost took the lead within 20 seconds of the restart when James inadvertently hit his own bar.

Aasgaard then had a snapshot flash just wife of the target, before Wrexham goalkeeper Mark Howard was very fortunate to escape after slicing a clearance that ended up going out for a corner.

It looked a case of not if but when Latics would force the opener but, when it came, it was Wrexham who went in front through Barnett.

Credit Latics, though, for keeping their heads up, and they forced a leveller with 10 minutes to go thanks to Hugill.

Latics then had a massive shout for a penalty after another late substitute, Callum McManaman, went down in the box under a heavy challenge, only for the official to wave play on.

Within seconds at the other end, it was maybe Latics' turn to get away with one when Weir dragged down George Dobson just outside the box, and escaped with only a yellow card.

However, there was to be a sting in the tale, as Fletcher fired hard and low past Tickle.