'Rightly proud' Glenn Whelan reacts to Wigan Athletic's Vertu Trophy defeat to Salford City

Harrison Rimmer, Jack Rogers and Christy Edwards made their debuts from the start, with Harrison Bettoni, James Knott, Reece Greenhalgh, Callum Jones and Alex Hughes coming on during the second half for their maiden appearances.

With fellow club products Tom Watson, Jensen Weir, Baba Adeeko, Callum McManaman, Leo Graham and Tobias Brenan also in the starting XI, all the positives were regarding the pathway programme.

The visitors - watched on from the directors box by Paul Scholes and former Latics CEO Jonathan Jackson - were good value for their win, thanks to second-half goals from Oliver Turton and substitute Cole Stockton.

And although he’d preferred the result to have been different, Whelan – who led the side from the technical area, with Ryan Lowe up in the stands – was keen to look at the bigger picture.

"It's obviously disappointing because we lost the game,” he said. "The positives were obviously all of the Academy lads who got their chance to get out there.

"We finished the game with 11 Academy graduates which is pretty incredible, and something the club is rightly proud of.

"It's something we planned for tonight, and this competition is perfect for that. There were also a few older pro's who needed some minutes to fill their tanks up, and they're there to help the lads.

"You're looking for them to stand up, you're wanting them to try to get the crowd going, and we had a chat with them at half-time. We were probably a little bit more disappointed with them rather than the Academy boys, but that's football.

"The big thing is that they've all come through with no problems, and they'll all be raring to go for the weekend. Credit to Salford, they came and did a job, they went a lot stronger than what we did."

Goalkeeper Watson, making his first appearance of the season, needed to race off his line early on to snuff out a Salford attack.

And after Adeeko was caught in possession, Latics were indebted to Steven Sessegnon for a fabulous block to deny Kyrell Malcolm the opening goal.

At the other end, fantastic play from Graham down the left saw him turn his man inside out before crossing to the far post towards Edwards.

However, with the goal gaping, the defender fired the ball into the ground from four yards - and watched on in horror as it looped over the bar.

Straight down the other end, only a brilliant save from Watson prevented Salford taking an interval lead.

In truth, the visitors would have felt they deserved to be ahead, and the opening goal arrived five minutes after the restart.

A free-kick from the left, headed back in by Brandon Cooper, and Turton nodded home from three yards.

And Salford's superiority continued, with Stockton converting Jay Bird's assist from close range to secure the win late on.