Wigan Athletic's changing of the gaard!

Thelo Aasgaard wheels away after scoring his first senior goal

Latics extended their winless sequence to 11 matches after losing 2-1 at home to Oxford on Saturday.

Ironically, Latics moved off the bottom of League One, as a result of Burton suffering a heavier defeat against Northampton.

The biggest positive was Aasgaard's first senior goal, a fine header from Tom Pearce's cross, shortly after coming on as a substitute.

It came too late in the game to make a difference, with goals from Matty Taylor and James Henry having deservedly put Oxford 2-0 up.

But the 18-year-old Norwegian junior international says the youngsters who have been thrust into the first team are determined to prove they're not just making up the numbers.

“We haven’t taken this opportunity for granted, we are giving it our best to show what we can do for the team," he said.

“You get more comfortable the more minutes you get on the pitch.

"And the first-team lads have been brilliant, bringing us in and moulding us into a first-team environment.

“It’s been a very challenging step up, it’s made me stronger physically and mentally, competing with and training alongside bigger lads all the time.

“I used to be the smallest kid on the block, but training with the bigger lads you get bigger yourself, working in the gym is more intense.

"It's helped me so much to progress to where I am now, and hopefully I can use it as a platform to carry on."

Acting manager Gregor Rioch would have been a proud man watching on from the technical area, with Aasgaard following in the footsteps of Harry McHugh, who scored his first senior goal on debut at Tranmere in the last game.

“Gregor brought me in from Liverpool when I was 14, and he’s really helped me along the way," Aasgaard added.

“He’s always guided me both on and off the pitch.

"To have him pitch side and trusting me to come on and make a difference it’s great."