Ryan Lowe assesses Wigan Athletic's draw against Barnsley - 'Full of intent'

Latics recovered from the blow of falling behind the Davis Keillor-Dunn’s early free-kick to create several good chances against the Tykes.

And it was no more than they deserved when substitute Maleace Asamoah Jnr took advantage of a defensive mix-up with 13 minutes to go to roll the ball into an empty net to ensure a share of the spoils.

After Latics skipper Jason Kerr was perhaps fortunate to pick up only a yellow card after dragging down former team-mate Stephen Humphrys, who was clean through on goal, Latics almost win it at the death.

However, substitute Joseph Hungbo’s left-foot strike was superbly tipped round the post by Barnsley goalkeeper Kieren Flavell, and honours ended even.

"I thought it was a fantastic performance,” enthused Lowe. "I'd like to be sitting here with three points, because we had some terrific chances, and you could see the intent we had from the start.

"As I've always said to every group I've been with, if you can't win a game, make sure you don't lose it. But it wasn't for the lack of trying, especially in that second half.

"In the first half, I thought we were comfortable, and they got a good goal.

"We managed to keep our belief to stay on the front foot, and I thought we deserved to get a goal in that first half.

"We came in at half-time, we changed one or two things, we told them not to force the press, and can we play a little bit further forward.

"We did that, fair play to Barnsley for hanging in there, but we deserved the goal and we had big chances to go on and win it.

"That's pleasing for me, given I've not had that long to work with the group on the training pitch.

"It was evident what I want, and the players gave me it...we just weren't able to come away with the three points."

Chris Sze - making his first league start since the opening day - almost gave Lowe the perfect start, only to see a close-range effort somehow blocked on the line.

And it was Barnsley who took the lead on eight minutes when Keillor-Dunn curled a brilliant free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards.

Barnsley thought they had a second before the break when a right-wing free-kick was finished off by Conor McCarthy at the far post, but the flag was quickly up for offside.

And Wigan finally found a leveller with 13 minutes to go when Asamoah Jnr’s desire to hunt the error was rewarded.

There was a flashpoint when Humphrys - just on as a sub - was dragged down by 'last man' Kerr, only for referee Sebastian Stockbridge to brandish only a yellow card.

And Wigan almost won it at the death when another replacement, Hungbo, drilled goalwards only for Flavell to divert the ball behind.