Wigan Athletic: Five things we learned from Ipswich Town (a)

Paul Kendrick reflects on five talking points from Wigan Athletic's 2-2 draw at Ipswich in midweek...
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1 So near…

Just one goal. In the end, that was all that stood between Latics and confirming their promotion back to the Championship at Portman Road. Having trailed with five minutes to go, all of us would have snatched a point to take on the long trek back to the north west. But with both Rotherham and MK Dons losing elsewhere, there must have been a temptation for Latics to go gung-ho in stoppage-time, to get the job done with effectively a free hit. Judging by the time it took Ben Amos to restart play, it didn't look to be the case. Leam Richardson also admitted in the post-match press conference he was unaware of outside results until after the game. Game-playing by the Latics boss? Who knows.

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2 Keane to impress!

It's fair to say Will Keane made a big impression on his return to Ipswich - bigger than any he made during his 18 months as a Town player before joining Latics in the summer of 2020. His two goals represent two-thirds of the total number of league goals he managed at Portman Road. And he certainly didn't endear himself to the masses by cupping his ears after opening the scoring just before half-time. Keane's 22nd and 23rd goals of the campaign put him level at the top of the League One scoring charts along with Morecambe's Cole Stockton. He was ridiculed last month by some opposition fans for suggesting the golden boot was one of his targets. But while most rivals have dropped off, six goals in his last nine games have shown Keane's flying at just the right time - with more games left than any of his competitors.

3 Wham-bam Sam!

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Also facing his old club was Town skipper Sam Morsy, who looked as though he'd thrown a huge spanner into Latics' promotion works when he put his side ahead with 17 minutes to go. 'I wanted to strangle him', chuckled Leam Richardson, who earlier this season admitted Morsy was the one opposition player he'd most like to bring to Latics. And the Egypt international showed during the 90 minutes why he was so instrumental to Latics' success during his four-and-a-half year stay. He was also involved in a couple of run-ins with Joe Bennett, as the pair attempted to swap shirts while waiting for set-pieces to arrive. One thing's for sure, he hasn't lost his competitive streak. And given the Ipswich upturn under new boss Kieran McKenna, it would be no surprise to see him leading Town to promotion next term.

4 Who wants it?

While Latics were staring down the barrel of defeat at Portman Road, the one consolation was that promotion rivals MK Dons and Rotherham were doing likewise. And it's been quite remarkable how much the top three sides have faltered in recent weeks after being so consistent for the first three-quarters of the campaign. Rotherham's defeat at Burton perhaps underlined what a decent point Latics picked up at the Pirelli last week. And the Dons followed up a home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday with another loss at Oxford. While Latics are firmly in control of their own destiny, you wouldn't like to wager any money on who'll join them in the top two. Each has tough final fixtures, which could well leave the door ajar for Sheffield Wednesday. Despite not even being assured of even a play-off spot yet, if the Owls can finish with three wins, it means Rotherham would have to pick up five points from their last three games, and the Dons win both of their remaining fixtures, to overhaul them. Given current form, you wouldn’t fancy either to do it. What a final week to the campaign is in store.

5 Quality, not quantity!

It would be remiss not to make mention of the 402 hardy souls who made the 472-mile round trip. For a fixture put back at short notice. From Easter Monday to a Tuesday night. The first day Wigan schools went back after the holidays. Latics' fanbase is a regular source of discussion for opposition supporters - and even now, managers - who might want to compare points on the league table rather than number of tickets sold. With trips to Portsmouth and Shrewsbury to come next week, let's hope those fans enjoy home comforts at the DW this weekend - and fingers crossed some silverware.