Wigan Reserves 2 Boro Reserves 1
TWO second half goals from a much improved Wigan side condemned Boro to a second successive defeat.
On the plus side Matthew Bates continued his comeback with a full 90 minutes, although he gave away a penalty. Seb Hines also started, as did David Knight, returning in goal for Boro after signing a one-month contract following an injury to Jason Steele.
Wigan started the brighter of the two sides, Joe Holt, Tomasz Kupisz and Tomasz Cywka all giving the Boro defence plenty to think about.
But the first chance fell to Gary Martin after good early work from Hines, only for the tall, young striker to shoot straight at keeper Kingson.
Martin was to make up for his earlier miss as he gave Boro the lead following excellent work from Nathan Porritt, who ran virtually the whole length of the pitch and slid in the youngster, who coolly slotted home.
Bates looked strong in his second outing at right-back and was certainly not holding back in tackles, Matt Hampson feeling the full force of one challenge which later forced him off the pitch.
There was bad start to the second half for Boro when Bates was adjudged to have fouled Craig Mahon on the edge of the area. Referee Rusden pointed to the spot and Ryan Taylor slotted home.
Boro were still in the game and Richard Smallwood and Martin both threatened, yet it was Wigan, through captain Jonathan Routledge, who wrapped up the points as he finished well from 15 yards after receiving a great ball from Cywka.
The visitors chased the equaliser and had a fantastic chance in the dying seconds when Martin was put through one on one, but he could not find a way past Kingson.
Boro: Knight; Bates, Bennett, Walker (Corker 86), Hines, Johnson, Franks, Smallwood, Martin, Saiko, Porritt. Unused subs: Filler (gk); Robinson, Shead.
Boro website Man of the Match: Bates was excellent but Smallwood gets the vote.
