Wigan Athletic chief's one-word explanation for chalk-and-cheese halves against Fulham

Latics had barely laid a glove on the Cottagers during an embarrassingly one-sided opening 45 at the Brick, which saw the visitors enjoy 85 per cent of the ball, and deservedly lead through Rodrigo Muniz's goal midway through the half.

However, after the break it was a different story, with Jonny Smith levelling matters within five minutes of the restart.

Although Muniz put Fulham back in front within five minutes, the last half-hour saw Latics lay siege to the opposition goal.

Sparked by the introduction off the bench of new signings Ronan Darcy and Owen Dale, Latics tore into Fulham, only to come up with a number of near-misses.

The closest came in stoppage-time, when Dale's shot was parried by Fulham goalkeeper Steven Benda, allowing another substitute, Will Goodwin, to toe the ball to Darcy, who fired home.

Unfortunately for Latics, the flag was up on the far side for offside.

Meaning elimination from the competition for Latics - but a standing ovation for the players on their way off from a thoroughly appreciative home crowd.

"We were a bit passive in the first half, but the second half was the complete opposite," assessed Maloney. "In that first half, we just couldn't get any pressure on them in certain areas, although I still didn't feel under massive threat from them.

"We just didn't quite get it right on the left-hand side for the goal, and that's what good sides can do. But the players had a lot more belief in the second half that they could go toe-to-toe, and it was brilliant from us.

"I understand the gulf between the two teams, but it really didn't feel like that in the second half. There were a couple of things we had to change tactically, because Fulham were a little bit different to what we had expected.

"Honestly, it wasn't loads, just about how we were pressing, particularly with the way they were building up. It was just more about making them believe they could stay in the game.

"There were a couple of moments in the first half when we played through them, and I felt we could have done that a bit more. I just wanted them to believe...that when we went to press, we did so properly.

"It definitely meant we would be more open if they won that longer ball, which is probably where their second goal came from. But I'd much rather lose playing the way we did in that second half than we did in the first.

"And I was just disappointed for the players at the end...it was just about moments in that second half...moments that could easily have bounced on our side."

Maloney - who watched the game from the gantry, as he completed a two-match touchline ban - also had no issue with the last-gasp disallowed goal.

"I think the officials got it right," he added. "I was up on the gantry, and it looked like they got it right, fair play to them for that."