Match Report | Burton Albion 3 Latics 4
Kyle Joseph took home the match ball in a thrilling end to 2020.
Will Keane headed a late winner to clinch the points.

Burton Albion 3

O'Toole 13
Brayford 25
Hemmings 72

Wigan Athletic 4

Joseph 18, 28, 73
Keane 83

The early New Year's fireworks went off at the Pirelli Stadium, as Latics clinched all three points in a seven-goal thriller against Burton Albion, after Kyle Joseph scored his first career hat-trick and Will Keane headed home a late winner to make it a happy close to 2020.

Scotland youth international Joseph pegged the Brewers back with all three of his goals, as John-Toe O'Toole, John Brayford and Kane Hemmings all had the hosts ahead, but it ended in delight for Latics and misery for Burton, when Keane headed home Chris Merrie's cross with seven minutes to play.

The victory lifted Latics up to third from bottom in Sky Bet League One, level on points with Bristol Rovers and Rochdale directly above them, but equally as importantly, it stretched Leam Richardson and Gregor Rioch's side's positive run to just one defeat in the last six outings.

Latics made three changes to their starting XI from Boxing Day's 1-1 draw against Shrewsbury Town, with Olly Crankshaw, Thelo Aasgaard and hat-trick hero Joseph all into the team, replacing Alex Perry, Dan Gardner and Kal Naismith.

Four of the night's seven goals came in the opening 28 minutes of a game filled with corner kicks, something which saw Latics un-stuck twice in the first half.

John Joe-O'Toole gave Burton the lead in the 13th minute when he stole in at the near post to head home following a short-corner routine, only for Joseph to score his first of the night from a corner at the other end, when he turned home Darnell Johnson's knock down into the back of the net off his thigh.

Seven minutes later down at the other end and Burton were back in front from another corner routine, but this time Latics were right to feel agrieved, when Curtis Tilt was dragged out of the way at the back post, allowing for Brayford to run into the space and volley home from close range.

Three minutes later... you guessed it... Joseph was on target AGAIN! This time the 19-year-old took his finish expertly, lifting his first touch from Olly Crankshaw's pass inside, before drilling the ball into the top right corner and off the underside of the cross bar for 2-2.

Burton's third came midway through the second half when Hemmings' deflected effort found its way through the area and into the left corner, and at that point you'd be forgiven for thinking it wasn't going to be Latics' day.

But as we'd learned through the first two Latics goals, this team doesn't know when to lie down, producing the best team move of the game to pull themselves back on level terms, with arguably the most stylish finish of the night.

Substitute Dan Gardner's close control and spin was enough to fool the Burton defence, allowing him to find Tom Pearce on the over lap, and when the full back's cross looked a touch behind Joseph at the near post, the striker pulled out a beautiful reverse flick to turn the ball across the keeper and into the bottom right corner for 3-3.

There was no chance the game was finishing with just the six goals, and thankfully for Latics the crucial seventh fell their way.

It was another clever piece of football on the left side, but this time it was central midfielder Merrie providing the assist after drifting wide. The 22-year-old played the most inviting cross towards the back post, with Keane's strong leap allowing him to nod home from close range for 4-3.

Latics were calm and composed for the remaining seven minutes and further into the three minutes of added time, with captain Jamie Jones leading the way in managing the game out for the win and the perfect ending to an extremely challenging year on and off the pitch.

Burton Albion: O'Hara, Brayford (Capt), Daniel (Edwards 87), Bostwick, Wallace, Quinn, Powell, Hemmings, Akins (Lawless 90+2), Vernam, O'Toole

Subs: Garratt, Hutchinson, Vassilev, Eardley, Gilligan

Latics: J.Jones (Capt); James, Johnson, Tilt, Pearce, Merrie, Palmer, Crankshaw (Long 86), Aasgaard (Gardner 62), Joseph, Keane

Subs: O.Evans, Perry, Smith, Obi, Jolley

Report | Burton Albion 3 Wigan Athletic 4