Paul Cook: Southend defeat Wigan’s worst performance of the season

Posted Sunday, February 11, 2018 by PA

Wigan boss Paul Cook felt his table-topping side produced their worst display of the season in the 3-1 defeat at Southend.

The Latics arrived at Roots Hall unbeaten in their previous 16 games but Cook felt the Shrimpers fully deserved their victory on an off day for his team.

“It’s the poorest we’ve been all season and you have to hold your hands up,” said Cook.

“The lads know that and I know that too but that’s football.

“They’ve been an absolute credit to me, the club and themselves all season and we’ve had a little blip here.

“Hopefully we can pick ourselves up but we’re still top of the league.

“The other results have been terrific for us but you must take care of yourselves.

“Without being critical it was a tough day for us to play football.

“Southend were far more comfortable in the surroundings and were better than us.

“They thoroughly deserved the victory and that’s as much as I can say.

“But we have another game on Tuesday night and we have to recover for that now.”

Southend took the lead after just three minutes when Michael Turner headed home a right-wing free-kick from Stephen McLaughlin.

The hosts then went further in front in the 36th minute when Simon Cox played in Marc-Antoine Fortune who fired home a low left-footed shot against his former side for his first goal since October.

Cox came close to making it 3-0 before Wigan got back into the game in the 67th minute when substitute James Vaughan volleyed Nathan Byrne’s right-wing cross into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

However, the Shrimpers stood firm and made sure of their win in the 83rd minute when Michael Kightly fired home the rebound after Christian Walton had parried out a well-struck shot from Cox as the in-form winger netted for the third home game in succession.

The result saw Chris Powell become the first permanent Southend manager to win his first three games in charge, but beating the Latics meant far more to Powell.

“The record doesn’t mean too much, it’s all about this tough game and getting a very good win,” said Powell.

“We negotiated the match very well and the players to a man stuck to what we spoke about.

“I’m really pleased with the three points although I’m disappointed we didn’t get a clean sheet.

“A team as good as Wigan will always test you and it’s a nice feeling to have won.

“But we don’t have a week to bask in the glory of this because we have an even bigger game on Tuesday at Bury and I’m already thinking about that one now.”