Wigan Athletic boss reflects on famous win at Birmingham

Latics continued their unbeaten start to the Championship campaign thanks to substitute Nathan Broadhead's maiden goal for the club.

But that only told part of the story of an eventful game, which saw Latics reduced to 10 men inside 10 minutes after Joe Bennett's straight red card - which TV replays showed was wrongly awarded.

Not only did the visitors dig in and restrict the home side to very little, they also created the better chances despite their numerical disadvantage.

And they went home with a massive three points thanks to Broadhead's cool finish 10 minutes from time - laid on by Charlie Wyke, making his first appearance in nine months following a cardiac arrest.

"I've heard people who've been here a lot longer than me say it's one of the greatest wins they've seen, and I can only echo that," gushed the Latics boss.

"What the lads gave us today, the information they took on, the effort they put in, I thought they represented themselves incredibly well and deserved the win.

"Even after the sending off, I felt we could still control large parts of the game, both in and out of possession, and I thought we looked comfortable in doing that.

"At the same time, we had to be respectful of the calibre of players they had on the pitch, there's a lot of Championship and Premier League experience in there.

"But I thought the lads worked hard enough to deserve everything they got."

After Przemyslaw Placheta fired over the bar, Birmingham were given a massive boost with less than 10 minutes gone, when Bennett was wrongly adjudged to have brought down Lukas Jutkiewicz.

The resulting free-kick from Juninho Bacuna flew just wide, with Latics forced into a reshuffle, which saw Ryan Nyambe take over from Josh Magennis, and James McClean drop to left wing-back.

The dismissal appeared to have a galvanising effect on Latics, with Tom Naylor spurning a glorious opportunity to open the scoring, when he volleyed wide from the penalty spot.

It was hearts in mouths time again for Latics when Jamie Jones - in for the injured Ben Amos - went down and required treatment on a side-hip problem.

Fortunately he was able to continue, and Latics ended the half on top, with Will Keane not making the best of a Callum Lang cross.

Latics had to defend at the start of the second period, with Bacuna’s shot deflecting off Jason Kerr for a corner.

Jutkiewicz headed straight at Jones, with Power trying his luck at the other end, only to be denied by a good save.

Latics fans were then treated to their first sight of Wyke in a competitive game since last November, along with Broadhead and Graeme Shinnie.

Birmingham also brought on ex-Latics striker Sam Cosgrove, who was immediately in the game, forcing Jones into a stunning save at the expense of a corner.

But the substitutions had given the visitors a second wind, and two of the new-boys combined to open the scoring eight minutes from time.

Wyke controlled beautifully and waited for the perfect moment to slide in Broadhead, who beat the goalkeeper on his near post.