Cardiff 0-1 Wigan: Managerless Latics win in Wales

Former Swansea midfielder Jordi Gomez's late goal ended Neil Warnock's unbeaten start as Cardiff lost 1-0 at home to managerless Wigan.

The Bluebirds will feel hard done by as they dominated large spells of the game. Gomez's 86th-minute strike moves Wigan to within one point from safety and ends their four-game winless run.

Sol Bamba and Anthony Pilkington squandered glorious opportunities to give their new boss his third win at the Welsh club.

Assistant manager Graham Barrow, development squad manager Peter Atherton and first-team coach Joe Parkinson took charge of Wigan following Gary Cadwell's departure on Tuesday. The Latics are now just one place below Cardiff in the Sky Bet Championship table.

The home side's pressure was relentless and they could have been ahead after 11 minutes, but Bamba's header was cleared off the line by Reece Burke.

The Latics' only shot on target in the first-half came through Yanic Wildschut when his tame shot rolled its way into Ben Amos' gloves. Sean Morrison then should have done better from a Peter Whittingham inswinging free-kick just before the break after he glanced his header wide of the post.

Wigan could have been in front within three minutes of the restart when Will Grigg's deflected shot drifted agonisingly wide of Amos' goal. Jake Buxton had a good opportunity in the 50th minute for the Lancashire side, but he could not direct his header on target.

Cardiff replied to Wigan's two early second-half openings as Aron Gunnarsson's powerful drive was beaten away with one-hand by Bogdan from the edge of the area.

Warnock's men continued where they left off in the first half and wasted another glorious chance when Bamba somehow headed wide from close range.

The winner came after good work from David Perkins on the wing, who squared the ball to Gomez to tap home.

Cardiff could have snatched a late point but Bamba blasted the ball over the bar in the dying minutes of the game from six yards out. The Bluebirds continued to throw the kitchen sink at Wigan, but the away side stayed resilient and held on for their first away win of the season.

Cardiff boss Neil Warnock:

"I knew it was going to be a 1-0 result but I thought we would be the team to get the one goal. If you don't take your chances then you have no chance, and it felt like we were always going to get caught with a sucker punch at the end and that's what happened.

"They slowed the tempo right down, the referee helped, and overall, you have to take your chances, because if you take your chances, you win the game. It was a typical away performance from Wigan and they will be delighted."

Wigan assistant manager Graham Barrow:

"It's been a tough week, especially for the staff. I think they did hurt when Gary [Caldwell] left the club. The win is a relief for the football club because we need to win.

"I think it was a good thing we had two days to prepare for the game - we came down last night and were together. If it was a home game, it might have been even more difficult to get them right.

"By the time they went onto the pitch, they were determined to do it for him (Caldwell) and the football club."