Why Jensen Weir's match-winning input is third time lucky for Wigan Athletic head coach!

The 24-year-old midfielder's 25-yard strike after 62 minutes was enough to lift Latics out of the League One relegation zone, securing a second consecutive home win since Caldwell's return to the club in mid-February.

But Caldwell revealed the Latics Academy product - who was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2020, before returning four years later - is someone who was already very much on his radar.

"It was a top performance from Jensen," said the Latics head coach. "He's a top player, with a top attitude, and a top character.

"He's a player I've tried to sign twice already...I've actually had to move to his club to finally get him!

"I remember him back in his Morecambe days, when he was a bit of a goalscorer...a midfielder who would arrive in the box and score goals.

"He's evolved a little bit since then, he can play a bit deeper, which he did today, but he's still capable of popping up with a goal.

"For me, he has all the attributes to be a top player at higher levels than this.

"And I think it's our job to bring those attributes out on a weekly basis.

"Graham Barrow has said it's one of his best games in a Wigan shirt, and I thought he was outstanding."

Just as they did against Luton Town almost a fortnight ago, Latics again had to dig deep to hang on for a massive win against a play-off-chasing opponent, putting their bodies on the line to preserve a crucial clean sheet.

"That is credit to the players, and the players alone,” said the Scot. "I don't coach them how to do that. They have an attitude and a desire to win football matches.

"I know that before I came back to this football club, some players, some individuals, were questioned.

"But since I've been in, to a man, I have seen nothing but effort and commitment and desire to win games.

"And that is a brilliant platform for me as a manager to work from, and help them and support them to be better.”

After riding their luck a tad in the first half – when Huddersfield twice hit the woodwork, and saw another couple of efforts cleared off the line – Latics raised their game in the second period to deservedly get over the line.

"They're taking on a lot of information during the week, in terms of what we want from them,” added Caldwell.

"Thanks to Lauren (Jones), who's a fantastic analyst, who I've worked with before (at Exeter), and her understanding of how we get that information across to the players...it's excellent.

"Giving those pictures that we can then transfer to the players, to help us...they then take that on and it helps us...both before the game and then at half-time to take into that second half.

"You can see those little incremental little improvements that will help us win games.”