Wigan Athletic chief pledges penalty squabble won't happen again - 'I didn't like that'
Ryan Lowe has taken full responsibility for the 'difference of opinion' between Paul Mullin and Maleace Asamoah Jnr during the midweek Carabao Cup victory over League Two outfit.
Mullin scored the only goal inside 10 minutes from the penalty spot, after Asamoah Jnr had been tripped inside the 18-yard box.
Asamoah Jnr had immediately grabbed hold of the ball following the referee's whistle, only to grudgingly hand the ball over to his strike partner who'd pulled rank.
Happily the ball ended up in the back of the net, but Lowe felt the incident was avoidable - and says he will ensure there will be no repeat in future.
"That was my fault really," acknowledged the Latics head coach. "I should have put the penalty taker down before the game, I normally do.
"Sometimes that slips your mind when you're doing a million and one other things. But going forward, in the dressing room before the game, we will have a known penalty taker.
"I didn't like that...I pulled Maleace over and had a word. I know he was a bit frustrated because he'd done ever so well to win the penalty.
"He wants to score goals, and a penalty is a free hit...I know, I get it...I'd have been the same when I was playing.
"But you've got to respect someone of Paul's calibre...when he steps up, the vast majority of times he scores."
Lowe also felt it irrelevant that Asamoah Jnr winning the penalty meant he should warrant taking the spot-kick.
"That does happen but, at the same time, if your centre-half gets fouled, you don't want him taking it, do you?” he smiled.
"But again, that's on me, I should have told them before the game who would take any penalties, and there wouldn't have been any of that.
"Maleace did look over, but Paul's been a penalty taker all of his career, and Maleace's time will come.
"Paul has a fantastic penalty ratio and knew straight away he wanted it.
"I know Maleace was champing at the bit to get it, because he'd done all the work!
"But you look at Paul's record on penalties...and that's no disrespect to Maleace, who has a fantastic penalty ratio of his own in training, and he'll get his chance down the line.”