Wigan Athletic 'facing fine' as ball-boy-gate row rumbles on following Northampton Town clash

The incident happened deep inside the final quarter, with the scores locked at 1-1, with the ball finding its way to Callum McManaman, who fired home a sensational winning goal.

Newly-introduced guidance forbids ball-boys from throwing the ball back onto the field.

Instead, players must go and fetch the balls themselves, or pick one up from strategically placed cones around the pitch.

Northampton boss Jon Brady says he has been given an apology by referee Ross Joyce, who claimed Latics would be fined for the indiscretion.

"Two balls were thrown onto the pitch, but balls aren't meant to be thrown on the pitch by ball boys any more,” Brady told the Northampton Chronicle. “That was a directive at the start of the season.

"We were a bit naive in that moment, because we go to tap the ball off the pitch and, as soon as we do that, they are away and gone on the break.

"We've been naive but the referee should have pulled it up.

"Yes, we need to defend it better and he's produced a moment of quality, but ball-boys aren't supposed to throw the ball on.

"Players have to go and pick the ball up from the side of the pitch or from the cones.

"The referee didn't deal with it at the time and he came up to me and said 'sorry, I got it wrong, I'll put it in my report and they (Wigan) will get a fine for it' but that doesn't do us any good.

"It's that inconsistency and we knew this would happen, and we're disappointed it went against us.

"We shouldn't be a victim of it because we were told, as managers, by the EFL and the referees at the start of the season that this would happen.

"We asked the referee before the game – 'are we making sure that the ball boys aren't throwing it back on?' and the answer was yes but he's not pulled it up in that moment.

"There's inconsistency but they've got to get this right because it's not a good look for the game. It makes it look disorganised."