Boss Maloney delighted with Wigan performance in draw with 'very good' Cobblers

Wigan Athletic boss Shaun Maloney was delighted with his team's performance in their 1-1 draw with the Cobblers at Sixfields on Saturday.

And he was also full of praise for Jon Brady and his players, admitting he is an admirer of Town's style of play.

The Latics were the dominant side in terms of possession at the weekend, and produced spells of very attractive, and progressive, passing football.

But the Cobblers' defensive excellence and stubbornness ensured the visitors' clear-cut chances were limited to a handful, and once Josh Magennis struck in the 64th-minute to cancel out Sam Hoskins' first-half penalty, they failed to seriously threaten Lee Burge's goal despite having plenty of the ball.

Asked if he felt his team could have been more clinical, Maloney said: "In the first 25 minutes we had a lot of possession, and it wasn't just in our half either, we were getting through them at times.

"Maybe that final cross could have been better, and maybe we could have shown a little bit more aggression to actually get into the box once we had broke through their pressure.

"But you have to respect the game as well, especially when you go 1-0 down here.

"We went in 1-0 down, but the performance in the first half was very, very good.

"We didn't need to change anything, we just needed to be a bit more aggressive and the response in the second half was good.

"I think the performance probably deserved more than a point, but sometimes football works that way.

"Northampton are on a very good run, and probably had a similar season to us, but because of the points deductions we have had, it looks different.

"They were really good when they played us at our place earlier in the season, and if anything we were probably fortunate to win that game."It could have easily finished 3-3 or 2-2, so maybe we have to remember that as well.

"Northampton were very good in that first game, and in the second game we were probably more dominant, so perhaps over the course of two games it's fair.

"They are a good side, and when you analyse them we had to do a lot of work without the ball.

"That is because how many players they get centrally, they try and play football, and I like how they try and play.

"So for us to play like we did on Saturday, then I am very happy."

The fact Wigan stuck to their guns in terms of playing out from the back was even more admirable considering the pitch at Sixfields was, in Maloney's words, 'a difficult' one.

The ball was prone to bobbling, and on a couple of occasions their players were almost caught out, but Maloney understands the difficulties groundstaff are having up and down the country in testing winter weather conditions.

He instead wanted to praise his players for their courage on the ball.

"It was a difficult pitch, but it is not too dissimilar to ours, and the groundstaff here are working extremely hard because the weather has not been great for pitches," said the former Celtic and Scotland attacker.

"But it is a hard surface to try and play on, so even more kudos to my players really.

"Mistakes like the one for their goal happen, you are going to get that with some of the younger boys, but I thought we played very, very well. I was really happy with everybody.

"It is hard when you go 1-0 down to keep playing, and try to understand that we have to keep playing to break through teams.

"So I was really happy with the players, I can't complain at all."