Wigan Athletic boss on how it all 'clicked' against Bristol Rovers

A goal in either half from Josh Magennis (30) and Jonny Smith (48) gave Latics a 2-0 victory, with the scoreline masking the complete and utter dominance shown by Maloney's men.

Goalkeeper Sam Tickle hardly had a touch of the ball as all the play was at the other end, with opposite number Jed Ward making a string of fine saves to keep Latics out.

When Ward was beaten again, defender James Wilson somehow got back to clear a Martial Godo shot off the line, while Magennis saw another 'goal' chalked off for offside.

"It's a really pleasing way to end the season, I love how we played," enthused Maloney. "I know it's the last game, but I was really pleased with how we played.

"It moves up to 12th, and I really wanted to finish in the top half, after everything that has gone on.

"We started really aggressively, and I couldn't have asked much more from the players.

"Their goalkeeper made a few really good saves, and it just felt like we had so much momentum.

"Today, it 'clicked', and we've been striving for a performance like that for so long.

"We had parts of that against Charlton, against Portsmouth and against Lincoln, but today it was the full game.

"It's one thing having the ball, and another actually being dangerous with it.

"Today I felt we were dangerous for the full game, and I really liked what I saw.

"The first goal was massive, and we needed that, because we've played as well as that a few times and not taken advantage.

"But we've managed to score some nice goals recently, and that was again the case today."

Baba Adeeko almost opened the scoring in the early stages, taking delivery of a Smith pass before advancing and having a powerful shot tipped round the post by the Rovers custodian.

After Magennis nodded wide from a Smith cross, Thelo Aasgaard's header forced a good save from an increasingly overworked Ward.

Rovers briefly threatened as ex-Latics man Scott Sinclair saw a shot deflected just wide, but that was about as good as it got for the visitors.

Magennis stole a yard on his marker at the near post to steer home a Luke Chambers cross on the half hour, and from then on it was only ever a case of how many Latics would score.

Smith doubled the lead three minutes after the restart after cutting in from the right and firing home into the far corner of the net.

Magennis thought he'd added number three when he finished another Chambers cross, only to turn and see the flag up on the far side for offside.

Aasgaard bent a brilliant effort from 25 yards inches over the top, before substitute Godo fired low past Ward - only for Wilson to somehow get back and miraculously clear the ball from right on the line.

With Exeter losing at home to Oxford, Latics moved up to 12th place in the table – a fabulous achievement given everything that’s happened over the last 12 months.