Wigan Athletic boss reacts to Chesterfield setback - 'They made it impossible...'

Latics responded well to the blow of falling behind to Armando Dobra's goal inside two minutes, with skipper-for-the-night Callum McManaman forcing an equaliser.

However, the visitors were unable to make the most of good chances to go in front, with Joe Hugill having a hat-trick of decent opportunities, James Carragher heading over from a corner, and substitute Thelo Aasgaard firing over in the second period.

Aasgaard was also denied what he felt was a penalty shout before Chesterfield won a spot-kick of their own, when ex-Tic Ryan Colclough was fouled by Paul Dummett, and Wigan Academy graduate James Berry made it 2-1.

Dylan Markanday made it 3-1 wit three minutes to go, before Hugill pulled one back in the first of four added minutes.

Latics were unable to force a penalty shoot-out, leaving Maloney to wonder what might have been.

"Once we got it back to 1-1, we had enough chances to take the game away from Chesterfield," he said. "But I think that's kind of been the story of the last two or three months...we created chances, and big chances at that, we just didn't take them.

"And the second and third goals we conceded were similar to Leyton Orient's second goal at the weekend...and they made it impossible to get back into the game.

"It's so frustrating, because the game should have been over well before that. But when you don't take your chances, you always leave yourselves open to being punished at the other end.

"The start was obviously disappointing, but I actually thought the response after that was fine...that wasn't the issue.

"It's just both boxes again, and in terms of attacking wise, it's felt like that for a while. But in fairness, it's not just on the forwards, we had a big chance from a set-play as well. And when they don't go in, the mistakes obviously become more costly."

The initial Latics response to falling behind was decent, with Hugill firing wide of a temporarily empty net from 35 yards, before Baba Adeeko's cross managed to evade everyone in the penalty area.

A Luke Robinson corner was then just too high for an unmarked Carragher, who headed over the top, while Hugill saw another shot well saved by Ryan Boot, before McManaman fired home via a deflection.

Chesterfield came inches away from regaining the lead with a deep cross from the left came back off the far post, but the half ended with Latics threatening through Hugill.

Latics made a raft of substitutions in the second half, including talisman Aasgaard, who was quickly into the game blazing way over the bar from 10 yards - possibly thanks to a bobble.

The Norway Under-21 international was then unsuccessfully claiming a penalty when he appeared to be bundled off the ball, and salt was rubbed into Wigan wounds a minute later when Dummett tripped Colclough, and Berry - a Latics Academy product - converted the spot-kick.

Markanday made it 3-1 with three minutes to go and, although Hugill pulled one back, Chesterfield deservedly saw the game out.