Wigan Athletic's Gavin Massey's goal is to stay confident

Massey celebrated getting off the mark for the season with a brilliant individual goal in Wednesday night’s 3-0 win over Stoke, while QPR were still licking their wounds from two heavy defeats.

While Latics have impressed against heavyweights Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, losing just the once, QPR were stung 7-1 last weekend by West Brom before a 3-0 defeat to Bristol City on Tuesday.

And Massey is expecting a response at Loftus Road when Latics rock up tomorrow.

“It’s a difficult one to say, because obviously they’ll be coming in off the back of two big defeats, and they’ll be thinking they have to get a result against us,” he said.

“But at the same time they won’t be stupid, they’ll have seen how well we’ve played in the first four games and they’ll know we’ll be a threat.

“We’ll also recognise the threat they’ll bring, they’ll be looking for a reaction, and the manager will want a performance from his players.

“It won’t be an easy game by any means but hopefully one from which we’ll be able to pick up something.”

Massey, who joined Latics last year following his former club Leyton Orient’s relegation to the National League, knows their strong start to the campaign is no guarantee of success, but the 25-year-old insists they are confident of challenging anyone they face.

“We’ve got some quality players in the team, you saw that last season,” he said.

“There’s always going to be a question mark stepping up, and people wondering whether we’ll be able to keep it going.

“This is only the start, we’re only four games in, but I think we’ve proved we’ll not be a rollover for anyone.

“We’ve picked up great confidence from the way we’ve started, and who knows what we can do this year.”

The early signs are good, though many will be in agreement with Massey that Latics could have even more points on the board given how they have played so far this season.

“I think you can see with our performances of late we’ve deserved this win,” he said after the Stoke match.

“We should really be sitting there with at least nine points never mind seven.

“It’s a good start, and obviously we’ll take great confidence from that, and try to keep up this level.”

Following his performance on Wednesday, Massey’s own confidence is high, with an assist for one of Will Grigg’s double to go with his own goal - and he admits opening his

account in the Championship was a worry.

“It’s nice to get off the mark for the season so early,” he said.

“I’ve tried to play a one-two with Powelly, it didn’t quite come off, but I just found myself through on goal.

“It’s funny because I get myself into those positions quite frequently, I had a few against Sheffield Wednesday, and I know I can make openings for myself.

“It’s all about staying confident, and keeping the ball low and hard.

“Thankfully, I’ve done that, it’s gone through his legs, and it’s such a good feeling to score my first Championship goal. It’s always a worry at any level, worrying about that first goal and when it’s going to arrive. To have it on the board after only three games is a great feeling, and for me it’s got to be just the start.”

But scoring wasn’t the only satisfaction for Watford-born Massey in the win over Stoke, though he admits engineering scoring opportunities is made easier by Grigg and Nick Powell.

“It was nice to get the assist for the first goal,” he sid.

“As a winger, you know that if you put the ball into those areas, then the likes of Powelly or Griggy will get on the end of it and get you goals.

“We do work on it training, but it’s not so much look up and seeing where they are, as just putting it in because they will be there.

“At this level those two are potent finishers and they know where the goal is.”