Steve Agnew says Blackpool deserved their late bit of luck against Wigan

Stand-in Blackpool boss Steve Agnew was pleased with his team’s late heroics as they battled deep into injury time to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Wigan.

Despite trailing 2-0 in the Sky Bet League One clash to first-half strikes from Dion Rankine and Matt Smith, the home team fought back to halt a run of three successive defeats.

Jason Kerr’s own goal on the stroke of half-time halved the deficit, before defender Will Aimson did likewise two minutes into added time at the end of the contest to gift his former team a point.

Agnew said: “The performance we showed in terms of character and mentality was really good. To be two goals down and to then come back was fantastic.

“With that first one coming before half-time it gave us that belief to go on and get something from the game. We kept at it and we deservedly got an equaliser.”

He continued: “At 2-0 it is difficult but we created chances. We have players to create chances as we ultimately have five strikers.

“We want the team to get on the ball and get it forward to those players. We’ve also spoken about getting the full-backs forward too.

“Hayden Coulson certainly did that and he was ultimately the one who crossed it initially before the ball came to Rob for the equaliser.”

Agnew was keen to praise his players after what has been a tough time around the club in the absence of boss Steve Bruce, who continues to support his family following a bereavement.

The 58-year-old added: “It has been such a difficult week for many reasons. Certainly for the reason that we all know, so in trying circumstances the players dug in and showed great fitness levels, the subs had an impact and the team spirit showed.

“I’m so pleased for them as they got what they deserved in the end.”

Wigan boss Shaun Maloney felt it was a little naivety that cost his side all three points.

He explained: “We ended up turning the game into a match that suited them.

“We didn’t keep the ball as we kept going long and that doesn’t suit us. It made the game a 50/50 game. We lost control and ultimately we have paid the price.”

The former Latics midfielder was full of praise for his side though and was keen to praise the way his team started the game.

“First half we were excellent. I couldn’t ask for more in terms of effort especially off the back of two straight defeats.

“We played through them at times. We could actually have created more. To come here is tough and the last two times I’ve been here we’ve conceded early on, so to start the way we did…I was really pleased. I liked us.

“The second half was tougher as they’re a threat from their keeper’s long balls. We then didn’t pick up enough of those second balls.

“I would have liked us to play with the ball a little more under pressure but ultimately we didn’t and that leaves us disappointed with the final result.”