The Latics completed their second league double as they brushed aside the threat of Brentford at Boundary Park. Oumare Tounkara and Filipe Morais were the goalscorers in a 2-1 success in front of another disappointing Boundary Park crowd of just 3,759 spectators.
The manager commented after the game, “If the game had finished 2-0, 3-0 or 4-0, I don't think many people could have argued because we were on top for most of the game. The only disappointment was not keeping a clean sheet but, overall, I am delighted with our performance. And to get back-to-back wins after the Southampton defeat shows the character we have here.”
“I can tell you from games I have played in and managed that 2-0 is a dangerous position. They got a goal, their tails were suddenly up and we were defending at the end, though I cannot see anybody arguing with us getting the three points. After what happened against Exeter (surrendering a three-goal lead) I could sense the players and crowd becoming edgy. In those circumstances you have to see out games, and we are getting better at doing it.”
The first half was a lack lustre affair until five minutes before the whistle when Tounkara popped in the first goal from a Chris Taylor pass. In the second half Morais came on for the injured Warren Feeney and within two minutes of his appearance he sliced apart the Brentford defence and crossed the ball for Taylor who headed narrowly over.
Morais deservedly went on to score the match-winning goal after Tounkara laid the ball off to him and he who cut in from the left hand side to give Bee's keeper Lee no chance. 18-year-old James Tarkowski replaced an injured Neal trotman for the last 10 minutes and he did nothing but enhance the confidence shown in him by Paul Dickov with an impressive display and some important tackles and blocks as Latics held on after Brentford had pulled a goal back and got their tails up. The result was another important victory as the Latics look to cement a place in the play-offs for the end of the season.