Curle salutes 'important win' as Cobblers edge out Wigan

Manager Keith Curle admitted Saturday's 3-2 victory over Wigan Athletic was a much-needed one for the Cobblers.

On a run of six defeats in seven games, Town stopped the rot with a hard-fought win at the DW Stadium. They looked to be on easy street at half-time after goals from Ryan Watson and Sam Hoskins but made life hard for themselves in the second-half.

Wigan scored twice and almost nicked something from the game, hitting the post in the final minute, but Caleb Chukwuemeka's first-time finish, his first in the league, ultimately earned the Cobblers all three points.

"It's an important win for us," said Curle. "I think in the first-half there were a lot of pleasing things.

"In the second-half we looked like a team that hasn't got that winning habit but you start that by getting your first win and we have done.

"We had to dig in during the second-half but we had a couple of chances to put the game to bed and I was pleased for Caleb because he had a very good impact and took his goal well.

"Harry Smith and Danny Rose caused them a lot of problems in the first-half and there was great movement from Ryan Watson and Sam Hoskins and we looked an attacking threat."

Joe Garner's penalty and a header from Tom James so nearly pinched a point for Wigan, but it was not to be.

"It's pleasing to see it out because 2-0 is always a difficult score but you'd obviously take leading 2-0 than having to chase a 2-0 deficit," added Curle.

"It's about having that calmness and that belief and that game understanding because you don't want to sit back and invite pressure too much but also you don't want to go gung-ho and leave yourself exposed."