Wigan Athletic chief hails vital victory at Barnsley - and explains surprise team selection
Shaun Maloney felt Wigan Athletic's backs-to-the-wall victory at Barnsley was no more than his players deserved.
Thelo Aasgaard scored the only goal of the game shortly before half-time, after a bright opening 45 minutes for the visitors.
The second period was more of a battle, with Latics having to dig in and repel a determined effort from the Tykes to get back into the game.
Latics climb to 17th place in the League One table, only nine points adrift of sixth-placed Barnsley - with a game in hand, against Northampton Town on Tuesday.
"We created enough opportunities in that first half to have been more than one goal ahead," assessed the Latics boss. "We got into dangerous areas, maybe more than creating big, big chances, but we were really good in that first half.
"And that's sort of been us...we have played really well at times, but we've not been able to take full advantage.
"We knew we'd have to deal with a lot of long balls and set-plays in the second half, which they're very good at. But the game panned out pretty much as we expected it to...it maybe went on a bit longer than we'd hoped, but we got there.
"The conditions definitely made the game even harder than it would ordinarily have been, and that played a part in my team selection beforehand.
"Matt Smith's an amazing football player, and he';s played near enough every single game for me since he's been here. I just thought given the conditions, and the way we saw the game panning out...you have to make decisions like that.
"Sometimes they come off, sometimes they don't...and you have to deal with the consequences...thankfully this one turned out okay. And the way the guys played...I actually loved watching them in that first half, I really did."
Silko Thomas had the first opportunity of the game when he tried to float a shot into the far corner, but his effort was always going wide of the far post.
Latics then had a scare when Steven Sessegnon sent a wayward backpass that put Sam Tickle in a lot of trouble.
Barnsley’s Davis Keilor-Dunn looked to capitalise, and he was only denied by a sliding challenge from Tickle at full stretch – which, if mistimed, could have been catastrophic for the visitors, in terms of a possibly penalty and/or red card.
Back came Latics, though, and Thomas made a decisive impact three minutes before the break, when he skinned the Barnsley right-back and crossed for Aasgaard to head home.
Latics' joy was slightly tempered by the sight of Tyrese Francois limping off the field seconds before the half-time whistle, with Scott Smith coming on his place.
And Latics had a let-off early in the second period when Keilor-Dunn ran in behind Toby Sibbick, who didn't see him until it was too late.
The Wigan defender clearly pulled his opponent back, both outside and inside the box, before firing tamely at Tickle.
Barnsley went closer when Marc Roberts nodded the ball goalwards only for Will Aimson to head it over his own bar.
There was then a scramble in the Latics box, with a couple of efforts blocked at point-blank range by Dale Taylor and Aimson at the expense of a corner.
Connell sent a late free-kick from the edge of the area just past the post, but Latics were good value for the three points.