Wigan Athletic boss satisfied with Wycombe Wanderers display - 'apart from the most important part'

Latics fell to a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of the Chairboys, but that only told part of the story of an eventful afternoon at the Brick Community Stadium.

Responding well to Joe Low's 11th-minute header, Latics came within inches of equalising just before the break, only for Jonny Smith's left-footed strike from the edge of the box to come back off the crossbar.

And with the half-time introduction of Dale Taylor for Matt Smith, Latics gave it everything in the second stanza as they peppered the visitors' goal.

Thelo Aasgaard was twice denied by Wycombe goalkeeper Franco Ravizzoli, who also parried away a stinging strike from Silko Thomas, while Dale Taylor - who spent last season on loan at Wycombe - sent one glorious chance from close range over the top.

So another defeat, which leaves Latics only two points clear of the drop zone...leaving Maloney with a feeling of 'what might have been'.

"In terms of performance, I can't ask any more in terms of what we did in the second half...apart from the most important part...we have to take our chances," said the Latics boss.

"It's not the first time I've sat here and said that...we created more than enough in that second half, the intent completely different from the first.

"My centre-backs have been fantastic for me this season, and I just needed more from them in that first half, in terms of playing forward and being aggressive, when there was space to go forward.

"They did that in that second half, and I think that was a big part of why we were so good.

"In fairness, in that first half, they had a chance from a set-piece and they score, we had a set-piece and we didn't...other than that it was a very even, slow-paced game from both sides.

"There was no real intent or aggression, which I didn't like, the second half was much better and, on another day, we probably get something.

"What I will say is that, whenever I've watched Wycombe, I've thought they looked dangerous against the best sides in the division.

"I never felt uncomfortable against them today...but to be fair, they probably didn't feel uncomfortable playing against us in that first half."

The visitors nudged in front from their first attack as Low headed Daniel Harvie’s right-wing corner into the Latics net.

Latics hit the bar through Smith just before the interval, and they threw everything at their high-flying opponents in the second period.

Thomas' cross was steered over the top from close range by substitute Tayor, who then forced a good save from Ravizzoli.

A Toby Sibbick cross was headed against the Wycombe goalkeeper by Aasgaard at full stretch, and another header from the Norway Under-21 international, this time off a Tyrese Francois cross, forced an absolutely superb save from Ravizzoli.

With Latics throwing everything at an equaliser, Wycombe almost added a second in stoppage-time, only for Brandon Hanlan to be denied by a blinding save from Sam Tickle.