Wigan Athletic 1 Plymouth Argyle 1

Will Keane headed home a second-half equaliser as Wigan Athletic ended a damaging run of four defeats in a row with a deserved point against Plymouth.
Will Keane heads home the equaliserWill Keane heads home the equaliser
Will Keane heads home the equaliser

It was a classic game of two halves at the DW Stadium, with the visitors totally dominant in the opening period and Latics running the show in the second 45.

That said, Latics were the architects of their own downfall for the Plymouth goal, 11 minutes before the break.

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Tom Pearce was unable to control a drilled pass from Jamie Jones, and succeeded only in steering the ball to Ryan Hardie, who chipped over the goalkeeper and into an empty net.

But credit Latics for their response and, after Lee Evans had seen a 'goal' controversially chalked off for the ball going out of play before Joe Garner headed it back to the Welshman, the leveller eventually arrived 21 minutes from time.

Kal Naismith crossed from the right, and Keane headed home cleverly from 12 yards to give his side a point they absolutely deserved.

Latics were hamstrung right from the off when Viv Solomon-Otabor limped off after picking up a knock in the opening couple of minutes, with Keane coming on to support Garner.

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But after Evans headed a Garner cross straight at Michael Cooper, the visitors completely took over at the DW.

A stinging strike from Tyrese Fornah was only parried away by Jamie Jones, before Kelland Watts crossed from the left and Luke Jephcott sent a free header over the bar from bang in front.

Danny Mayor then fired wide from the edge of the box, before the goal that had been coming eventually arrived on 34 minutes.

And it was a goal which saw Latics press the self-destruct button, with goalkeeper Jones sending out a pass to Pearce that was far too hard in the wet conditions.

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As the Latics left-back struggled to make up for a poor first touch, he could only find Hardie, who couldn't believe his luck.

Wigan's attempts at a response were initially thwarted by Watts, who just about managed to divert a Pearce cross away from Keane.

The home side were forced into a half-time change, with Adam Long taking over from Darnell Johnson, and John Sheridan's men were much better in the second half.

There was huge controversy within minutes of the restart when Naismith's cross was nodded back by Garner for Evans to slot home.

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But Wigan's celebrations were halted by the flag being up on the near side and, after what seemed an age of chatting between the officials, a goal kick was the result.

Credit Latics, they stuck at their task, and James saw a free-kick well saved by Cooper, before seeing another cross deflected just wide of the near post and then a shot fly way over the bar.

The equaliser did arrive on 69 minutes, though, with Naismith's cross being headed home cleverly by Keane.

Plymouth threatened to go back in front when Mayor's goalbound effort was repelled by a superhuman block from Long, with Curtis Tilt also putting his body on the line and catching one in the unmentionables just before the end.