Wednesday 18 February 2015 20:50, UK
Wigan manager Malky Mackay is feeling positive about his side's Sky Bet Championship relegation battle after a 1-0 win at Reading.
Wigan started the evening nine points adrift of safety but reduced that margin to six points with a scrappy yet much-needed victory.
"It was a thoroughly deserved win against a very good team," Mackay said. "To win and to win the way we did, I was really delighted.
"It's a brand new group I've got now. Twelve players have left and eight have come in in the last three weeks.
"I'm now looking at some real warriors there now. The gap has closed and there's still a lot of points to play for. That group of players certainly don't look as though they're down and out.
"There's a lot of teams who are in different veins of form but we're fighting for every point and that's what we need to keep doing."
Wigan, with only one win in 17 matches, didn't start too promisingly at the Madejski Stadium.
Reading, who reached the last eight of the Cup with a 2-1 win at Derby County on Saturday, began brightly and Marc-Antoine Fortune had to clear an Alex Pearce header off the goal line.
Wigan gradually regained their composure and went in front in the 17th minute, mainly thanks to a double-error from home goalkeeper Adam Federici.
First, he miscontrolled a backpass from Alex Pearce and, after being challenged by Leon Clarke, was fortunate to concede only a corner.
From the resultant set-piece, Federici could only fumble Clarke's header into the air.
And from the ensuing scramble, centre back Jason Pearce - on his debut on loan from Leeds United - bundled the ball home.
Reading replied with growing authority towards half time but Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi made fine saves from Garath McCleary and Nathaniel Chalobah.
Early in the second half, Reading went close, twice, from Oliver Norwood corners. Chalobah nodded wide when alone at the far post and then Hal Robson-Kanu similarly wasted another header.
Wigan appeared content to sit back and soak up the pressure and their often rugged approach and time-wasting tactics led to six bookings for them.
Al-Habsi made a smart save to keep out a Norwood free kick but Wigan held on comfortably and even managed to safely negotiate 11 minutes of stoppage time.
Their one blot was that midfielder Chris Herd was taken off on a stretcher with a knee injury and is likely to miss the rest of the season.
Steve Clarke, the Reading manager, was angry at his team's second successive home defeat. "That was rubbish," he said. "I've no idea why so it's something I've got to look long and hard at.
"I need to find a different way to play at home. Maybe I need to change the team a bit. Our home performances and our away performances just don't relate to each other.
"It's very frustrating and I've got to be honest that tonight was a little bit embarrassing. It's really strange. We were so poor. I've got to go away and find a solution."
