Wigan 0-0 Luton: Goalless draw at the DW Stadium

Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at the DW Stadium

Saturday 7 March 2020 18:38, UK

Relegation-threatened Wigan and Luton played out a lacklustre 0-0 Sky Bet Championship draw at the DW Stadium.

Despite coming into the game as the form team in the Championship over the last eight matches, Wigan looked uncharacteristically shaky in the opening quarter.

The highlight was Kieffer Moore's cross almost finding Gavin Massey, who would have had a tap-in, only for Sonny Bradley to get the ball clear.

A lovely turn and pass from Gary Roberts almost played in Jamal Lowe, but the forward was crowded out.

Leon Balogun then headed over from a Roberts corner, but Wigan were struggling to land anything on a Luton side who, despite being bottom of the division, were in fine form themselves.

Indeed, on one of their first forays forward, the visitors had a massive shout for a penalty, when a free-kick was lofted in towards the far post.

Bradley was either unable or prevented from getting his head to the ball by a Wigan defender, and half a dozen Hatters surrounded referee Gavin Ward in the hope of a spot-kick.

However, the official was unmoved, and Wigan breathed again.

The home side were forced into a change just before the break when Roberts limped off, to be replaced by Anthony Pilkington.

And Wigan's struggle to get into their rhythm continued into the second period, with Luton visibly growing in confidence as they sensed there could well be something here for them.

A long ball from the back was flicked on and it took an absolutely inch-perfect lunge from Cedric Kipre to prevent Harry Cornick going clean through on goal.

There was almost a carbon copy moments later, when Balogun misjudged a bouncing ball, which appeared to open the door for James Collins.

Balogun managed to get back to ease Collins off the ball with his shoulder, with Luton screaming for a foul and a possible red card.

However, the offside flag up on the far side saved the official from making a potentially match-changing decision.

Wigan threw on Michael Jacobs and Joe Garner for the closing stages, and the latter at least got a header on target from Kal Naismith's cross, but it was an easy save for Simon Sluga.

The Luton goalkeeper saved his best stop for the second of four added minutes, sticking out a strong left arm to prevent Jacobs' shot flying into the corner of the net.

What the managers said...

Wigan's Paul Cook: "Was it a fair result? No, I thought we shaded it. What little good chances created on the day came from us, and in terms of possession and intent we were the team trying to win the game.

"On that basis, I would suggest we deserved to win the game, given the form we're in - but they're also in form."

Luton's Graeme Jones: "It was a deserved point, we're satisfied with the point and the performance. Wigan have been unstoppable in their last eight games, and tactically we got it so right. The character got us through the first 15 minutes, then we got a real understanding of Wigan off the ball. Once we settled into the game we were fine, we were strong.

"I asked them at half-time to be better on the ball because I was disappointed with that first half. And we came out in the second half believing we could win the game. We had two or three chances to win it, which on another day Harry (Cornick) would have scored."