Wigan Athletic hoping Ram-raid can settle nerves, admits Kal Naismith

Despite picking up a decent point at the weekend against high-flying Middlesbrough, Latics saw their buffer to the drop zone cut to three points thanks to wins elsewhere for Rotherham and Reading.

With a massive six-pointer at Reading looming large next weekend, Naismith says anything Latics can pick up against the play-off chasing Rams would be worth its weight in gold.

“We’re staying positive, we’re on a good run and we go to Derby in good spirits,” the Scot acknowledged.

“We’re still three points clear, with a game in hand, and it’s still in our hands.

“Anything we can get there would be great for us and put more distance between ourselves and the bottom three.”

Latics are now five matches unbeaten - their best sequence of the campaign - although four of those were draws.

And with the teams below them showing they haven’t given up the ghost, Naismith admits he was straight on to his phone after Saturday’s game to check the status quo.

“Personally I did have a look at the table after the game, you do, yes,” he revealed.

“To be honest, I’ve always done that - that’s just me personally, I can’t speak for others.

“Before your shower, after your shower, you might look at your phone and see what’s happened elsewhere - and that goes for whichever club I’ve been at.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re going for promotion, trying to avoid relegation, or settled in mid-table...it’s nice to see what the other teams have done around you.

“I saw Rotherham and Reading came up with great results elsewhere, and fair play to them for that.

Boss Paul Cook admitted he’d have settled for a point against Boro before the game, and Naismith too felt it was definitely a point gained.

“We knew we’d have to dig deep against Middlesbrough, who have so many top players and have been on a good run,” he added.

“It was a great battle, I don’t think any team particularly dominated, and a draw was probably fair.”