Wigan Athletic boss hails 'brilliant' display after 'deserved' equaliser at Barnsley

Latics dominated their promotion-chasing opponents for most of the game at Oakwell, but trailed to a Devante Cole strike heading into the closing stages.

The visitors had created some gilt-edged opportunities – the best falling to Josh Magennis, Jordan Jones and Martial Godo – only to fluff their lines in front of goal.

And it had looked as though Latics would be denied a point when Smith curled in a corner, only for the 'goal' to be disallowed for minimal contact on the home goalkeeper.

However, Latics - and Smith - were not to be denied, when the substitute rattled home an unstoppable strike into the top corner with three minutes to go.

On the back of last Friday's victory's comfortable victory over Carlisle, it gives Latics a positive platform to attack the New Year - with Manchester United up next in the FA Cup next Monday.

"It was very different to the Carlisle game, but I think that's determined by the opponent," said Maloney.

"Barnsley are probably the best team I've seen at high press in the division, and they score a lot of their goals from winning it back in your half.

"But I was so pleased with the amount of chances we created, and it would have been deeply disappointing if we'd not come away with something.

"The performance was so good, and tactically the players were brilliant - which I told them after the game.

"In the last two games they've been asked to do two different things, and they've been brilliant, whether it's been with a back four or a back five.

"I'm so happy with the players, and I just wish we would have won, because I thought the players deserved that.

"You have to stay patient, and that's what I liked about all the substitutes when they came on.

"We're constantly looking at ways of being more aggressive and more attacking and more within the profile of a player, without losing the complete structure of the team."

Latics enjoyed the better of much of the afternoon at Oakwell, but for long periods looked like paying a high price for their profligacy in front of goal.

After Sam Tickle twice denied Cole, the striker made it third time lucky by finishing off an Adam Phillips cross.

Latics will have felt aggrieved to go in behind – having passed up several decent openings – and unfortunately the second half continued in the same vein.

A horrible mistake at the back by a Barnsley defender presented a gilt-edged opportunity for Magennis, who sliced his effort wide of the right-hand post.

Smith – one of five second-half replacements – thought he'd found an equaliser when his deep corner from the right found its way in at the far post, only for the referee to award a free-kick for a non-existent foul on the goalkeeper.

It would have been an utter travesty had Latics come away with nothing, and the leveller finally arrived with three minutes remaining.

Again it was Smith, who took delivery of a short free-kick before rifling a stunning strike into the top corner of the net from fully 25 yards.