REPORT: Accrington 3 Wigan Athletic 1

Kicking-off one place out of the relegation places, Latics got off to the perfect start by taking the lead inside 40 seconds.

Dan Gardner sent a superb ball into Callum Lang, who sailed towards the edge of the area like a dangerous nuclear submarine.

As the Stanley goalie closed the angle, Lang dropped his shoulder and rounded him before tapping into an empty net.

But all that good work was undone within two minutes, as the Latics defence allowed Cameron Burgess a free header from 10 yards, which he planted powerfully past Jamie Jones.

Lang almost put Latics back in front with a shot that flew inches wide of the post, before Sean McConvile unleashed a cracking strike from distance which came back off the Latics bar.

With the game still to reach the 15-minute mark, Accrington went in front for the first time - and once again it was a poor defensive goal to concede.

A speculative free-kick came in from the left, and goalkeeper Jones elected to go with his legs rather than hands, but couldn’t get enough on it.

Michael Nottingham couldn't believe his luck, and stabbed home from close range, in off the post.

The game couldn't continue at such end-to-end pace, and the only other chance of the half saw Lee Evans volley high over the top from 25 yards.

Latics threatened at the beginning of the second period with Luke Robinson trying a sneaky near-post effort from a short corner, but the ball found only the side-netting.

But Stanley gained a stranglehold on the game on the hour mark, when Tendayi Darikwa felled McConville in the box, and Dion Charles smashed the spot-kick down the middle of the goal.

Jamie Proctor - on for Gardner - headed over the bar for Latics, with left-back Robinson continuing to get forward and seeing a shot well saved.

But it was almost 4-1 in the closing stages, when David Morgan drove into the Latics area and prodded goalwards, only for Jones to stick out a strong left hand and superbly divert the ball wide.

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