'The table doesn't lie' - but why Wigan Athletic are still targeting opposite end

Monday night's 1-1 draw at Blackpool left Latics sixth from bottom of the division, four points above the drop zone after 13 matches played.

Maloney and the senior management had signalled in the summer their intention to challenge for sixth spot - and a place in the play-offs - despite working with a vastly reduced, now mid-table budget.

And despite being already eight points off their target, Maloney feels there is more than enough quality in the squad to warrant optimism for the weeks and months ahead.

"I think we have the potential (to be higher)," said the Latics boss. "In fairness, I think the league table is always fair.

"What the league table probably shows you is that we've had enough chances to be higher, but we haven't taken them.

"You look at games like Exeter, Mansfield...where we have moments to win games, but we didn't...and that's why we are where we are.

"We've shown with the clean sheets we can be very good defensively, but probably the attacking side puts us where we are in the table.

"I think if we can get both sides right, we do have the potential to fight for probably sixth place.

"Look, if you'd asked me a few months ago, I think I said I was going to be less patient. But the way we put together the squad over the summer, and the way it evolved, I have to be a bit more patient with the attackers.

"We've got a really young attacking group, we definitely have a lot of talent, but we need to keep working on that balance between support and demands."

Latics had only themselves to blame for not being two points better off after throwing away what would have been a thoroughly deserved victory at Blackpool on Monday.

First-half goals from Dion Rankine and Matt Smith had the visitors cruising heading into first-half stoppage-time. However, an own goal from skipper Jason Kerr with the last kick of the first half gave the home side a lift.

And after Latics squandered three good chances to kill the game in the second half, Will Aimson also put through his own goal in added time to ensure the points were shared.

"We went there to win, we really felt we could win the game," added Maloney. "We felt we could play a certain way against them, which we did, but to go 2-0 up...and concede in stoppage-time at the end of both halves...it will take maybe a day or two to get over this.

"The players were brilliant for the most part, and I probably just need a bit more of that.

"I actually liked the way we played in the second half against Mansfield, that's why I kept the same team. When we are at our best, we hurt teams quickly, and the challenge now is when we do break teams, to really hurt them.

"I thought we did that in the first half, and then we maybe stopped playing in the second half. But I can't fault the effort, they're giving me everything."