Wigan Athletic boss opens up on 'balance' after back-to-back victories

Latics followed up Saturday's 2-0 triumph at Exeter with a victory by the same score over second-placed Oxford at the DW, to move within a point of League One 'safety'.

Stephen Humphrys opened the scoring on 18 minutes after good work from Thelo Aasgaard, before substitute Callum Lang's brilliant free-kick sealed the points with eight minutes remaining.

At the other end, the defence kept one of the division's best attacks at arm's length, with Sam Tickle on hand to mop up anything that did make its way through.

Having spoken during the recent international break about his desire to improve the defensive record, Maloney has been delighted with the reaction from his players.

"It was just a really good performance, against a really good team," he said.

"I thought the performance showed similarities to Exeter, particularly in the first half, when Oxford tried to play through us.

"But I really liked us in the second half as well.

"I'd like to see even more of us with the ball, like the goal we scored in the first half, I want to see more of that.

"Maybe we just needed the platform of being better defensively so we could do what we did in the second half.

"The mentality of the players was brilliant in the first half, they take all the credit.

"The way Oxford played in the first half, finding the spare man, I thought the recovery we showed in shutting down the space was really, really good.

"And then the talent we have, no matter what team we play against, we are a threat, we can score goals.

"(Stephen) Humphrys is in the best form I've seen him...(Martial) Godo too...in this match, Thelo (Aasgaard)...I thought we looked really threatening.

"But we built a squad that I said, at the beginning of the season, I wanted to be really attacking.

"We have to find that right balance with the defending, and in the last two matches I feel we have.

"It's four goals and six points, but we have to be ready to go again, and it's back to work."

Sam Tickle had made a couple of decent saves before Latics took the lead on 18 minutes.

Aasgaard supplied the through ball for Humphrys, who switched the ball on to his left foot to keep the defender at bay, before firing home through the goalkeeper.

Oxford continued to test Tickle from distance, before James Beadle produced a fabulous save to prevent Martial Godo making it 2-0 from close range.

Great stuff from Latics then saw substitute Tom Pearce - on for Humphrys - feed Godo, who controlled well before seeing his shot blocked by Ciaron Brown.

Lang took over from Aasgaard deep into the final quarter, and he popped up with the all-important second goal with eight minutes remaining.

After placing the ball down for a free-kick some 20 yards from goal, the vice captain curled a brilliant set-piece over the wall.

Latics almost added a third in stoppage-time, with Stones seeing a thunderous drive and then - from the corner - a powerful header tipped over by Beadle.