Assistant manager reflects on 3-3 draw at Rochdale

Richardson: “Our lads will be disappointed because they conceded so late but - as a spectacle - I think it had everything; a sending off, great goals, fantastic individual performances and overall I did think we deserved to win.”

Wigan Athletic assistant manager Leam Richardson was left with mixed emotions after Latics were held to a late draw at Rochdale on Saturday afternoon.

Reflecting post-match with Latics TV, Richardson said:

“Football is funny because Rochdale will be in there thinking they have achieved something and fair credit to them because they kept going.

“Our lads will be disappointed because they conceded so late but - as a spectacle - I think it had everything; a sending off, great goals, fantastic individual performances and overall I did think we deserved to win.

“It’s my job now to pick them up again and educate them now moving forwards on what we can do better.”

Richardson was pleased, though, with the way his side reacted to going behind at the Crown Oil Arena.

“There is different pressures for different positions within a team and one thing that was great today was how we responded and the character,” he added.

“The goals that we scored emulated that because we kept going.

“My overriding emotion is that I really enjoyed standing there and watching them today because individually – and in some parts collectively – I thought they were excellent.”

And Richardson finished by saying he was hopeful he may be able to add to his squad in the near future.

“We are all aware that every day at Wigan Athletic is a learning day at the minute. It is up to a few of us to make the best of the situation,” he explained.

“Jamie Jones and Charlie Jolley were out with Covid and we are short on numbers to make changes on the bench.

“It is up to ourselves, working with the administrators under the restrictions we have to get numbers in to help because we are going into a bank of fixtures that are relentless at the minute.

“I thought the lads that came in did smashing; we have had a week that’s been stop-start on the grass with the weather and lack of use of the pitches. We will do our best and I have to give credit to the players for today.”

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Leam Richardson | "I thought the lads that came in were smashing"